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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30040596">Becoming Batwoman | Point Rock, Part VI</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/EQT_95/pseuds/EQT_95'>EQT_95</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Becoming Batwoman [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batwoman (Comic), Batwoman (TV 2019)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 01:27:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>20,809</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30040596</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/EQT_95/pseuds/EQT_95</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kate Kane's summer break following her second year at Point Rock.</p><p>Sequel to 'Point Rock, Part V' and prequel to 'Curiouser and Curiouser'</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kate Kane/Sophie Moore</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Becoming Batwoman [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1749118</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>No main thread chapter this week. A combination of work and writer's block are to blame, so instead we're doing a quick flashback chapter to get the summer started.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>"Honey, I'm home," Sophie called teasingly from the entrance of the flat. She paused at the door, waiting in prolonged suspense for a response. "Kate?"</p><p>"Kitchen," came a voice from within the apartment.</p><p>Sophie scowled slightly. The lack of snarky reply confirmed her suspicions that the mood within the flat was unchanged the day before. She dropped her bag at the door and navigated the hall toward the sounds of dishes clattering together. She paused for a moment when she'd neared the all-glass wall that separated her from the city. The view always distracted her, and she glanced out at the setting sun falling over Gotham's skyline. It was a view that still managed to take her breath away everytime she saw it, and she lingered a moment before the sound of a curse from the depths of the apartment pulled her attention back onto her path through the flat.</p><p>As she approached, hints of the disaster were wafting toward her, catching off the sunlight and producing a haze that could mean only one thing. She poked her head around the wall and found her girlfriend surrounded by smoke and muttering over a ruined… Sophie wasn't quite sure what it was supposed to be, but in no world was it an appetizing color.</p><p>"Dinner smells great."</p><p>"Shut up," Kate scowled, leaning on her elbows as she examined her failed experiment. She peeled back the top layer to reveal a pocket of steam followed by more of the same unidentifiable… food.</p><p>"How about Chinese?" Sophie offered, studying the dish from a safe distance.</p><p>Kate sighed in defeat.</p><p>"I'll order," Sophie smirked, leaning in to offer Kate a quick peck on the cheek before retracing her steps down the hall, pivoting halfway toward the bedroom. "How was your day?" she called.</p><p>"Fine," came Kate's voice grumpily. The sound of a thunk against plastic was enough for Sophie to know Kate was disposing of the burnt evidence. She smirked in amusement. Kate's attention to detail was impeccable when it came to most things; when it came to ovens though, they were lucky the building hadn't met the same fate as their failed dinner.</p><p>"You manage to catch up with Bruce?" Sophie asked as she slipped out of her clothes. Silence followed, and Sophie began to wonder if Kate hadn't heard her when:</p><p>"No," Kate said a moment later from the doorway, causing Sophie to jump in surprise.</p><p>"Why do you do that?" she cried as adrenaline hit her veins. She turned to see Kate leaning casually against the frame, staring unabashedly at her underdressed girlfriend. Sophie would have been flattered if not for the scowl hovering over Kate's brow.</p><p>"Can I help you with something?"</p><p>"Yes," Kate said with a hunger that had nothing to do with the ruined entree sitting in the trash, her face striking a balance between continued disgruntlement and intrigue.</p><p>Sophie crossed the length of the room, noting with a blush that Kate's eyes remained fixed firmly on her as she did.</p><p>"Well," Sophie said, settling her hands around Kate's waist. "I already said I'd take care of dinner. Did you need something else?"</p><p>"Yes," Kate repeated heavily, suggesting so much more.</p><p>Sophie took the cue to lean in and capture Kate's lips. She was caught off guard, clearly expecting the kiss to be quick and light, but there was a want in the way Kate's lips pressed into her that made her heart skip a beat. She felt Kate's hands slide around her exposed waist and a chill shot through her like lightning. Nervously she pulled back, and Kate's hands retracted in apology.</p><p>"Uh-"</p><p>"Tease," Kate muttered to break the tension, earning an appreciative smirk from Sophie as she backed away and returned to her set of clothes.</p><p>"So, what happened with Bruce?" she asked, slipping on a loose tank.</p><p>"The usual; something ambiguous came up," Kate said cryptically. Whether it was intentionally cryptic on Bruce's part or because Kate was distracted, Sophie wasn't sure. She pulled out a pair of shorts, surveying her girlfriend in the process.</p><p>"Did you reschedule?"</p><p>"No," Kate said, pushing off the doorway and retreating back toward the kitchen.</p><p>Sophie scowled, interrogating the last few minutes for anything to clarify Kate's atypically sour mood. She'd had little to go on the last few days, and Kate wasn't making it any easier. While Kate was good at deflecting to the rest of the world, Sophie had a knack for reading Kate, and it was obvious she was distracted by something. That it was typical for her to keep it bottled up only made Sophie more keen to figure out the problem before the Kane stubbornness was swapped with the Kane temper.</p><p>She quickly finished changing before following behind. A brief scan of the interior space proved her instinct was right: it was empty of her brooding girlfriend. She continued crossing through the kitchen which spilled into an enormous living room that extended out onto an even larger terrace. She stepped outside, noting the warm summer breeze had cooled slightly with the arrival of evening. The city streets were thick with heat; it was an experience Sophie got used to as she commuted each day back and forth to Wayne Tower, but the terrace of the Kane's penthouse apartment rose above that, providing a regular stream of fresh air.</p><p>The sun was edging closer to the horizon, casting a warm orange onto the high rises around them, and Sophie's eyes quickly locked onto the familiar frame leaning against the railing.</p><p>"Hey," Sophie said softly, stepping behind Kate and slipping her arms around her waist.</p><p>"Hi."</p><p>"Are you going to tell me what's going on?"</p><p>"Nothing's going on."</p><p>"Kate," Sophie pressed. "You need to try harder if you expect me to believe you."</p><p>"Can I try again then?"</p><p>"Nope. You've struck out."</p><p>"Was that three?"</p><p>"You've been moody for the past two days plus a lie, so yes. That was three. On top of that you killed dinner-"</p><p>"The timer didn't go off," Kate said defensively.</p><p>"At this point I don't think we can blame it on the timer," Sophie smirked into Kate's shoulder.</p><p>"I don't trust it. I think we should get a new one."</p><p>"No deflecting. Spill. What's going on?"</p><p>Sophie felt Kate exhale slowly in her arms before turning to face her.</p><p>"Jacob was in town."</p><p>"Oh, that's great. Did you see him?"</p><p>"Last week."</p><p>"Last week? Did… you didn't see him last week though," Sophie replied confusedly, verbalizing the problem as her brain caught up. A quick shake of Kate's head confirmed this.</p><p>"I only just found out."</p><p>"He didn't tell you he was here?" Sophie asked, beginning to understand.</p><p>"It was all last minute, and he booked a hotel," Kate explained, and Sophie could see her girlfriend was beginning to build an argument that excused her father's secrecy. "But it's fine. He's a busy-"</p><p>"That's not really the point though," Sophie interrupted, reading the subtle hints of frustration on Kate's face. "What was he here for? I thought he was supposed to be in Europe with Catherine and Mary until July."</p><p>"Apparently duty called. Something about a leasing agreement. Anyway, he made the trip back."</p><p>Sophie scowled in frustration for Kate. It wasn't that Kate had the closest relationship with her father. They talked on the phone occasionally, and it typically caused more frustration than anything. Jacob's relationship with Kate tended to err toward commanding office and soldier more than father and daughter. It was one that struck Sophie as odd but not something she felt comfortable commenting on. For as bullheaded and independent as Kate was, one suggestion from Jacob could upend her plans and she'd course correct to absorb this latest feedback into them. The latest version of this came with Jacob's less than optional suggestion that Kate continue training over the summer to stay in peak condition. This resulted in Kate adopting even crazier hours than when she'd been training dozens of cadets at Point Rock weeks earlier.</p><p>It was rare that Sophie heard words of praise or caring from Jacob, and all of this was exacerbated by how Kate described Jacob's relationship with Catherine and Mary which reflected a much more normal version of a family. Kate either didn't seem to notice or never bothered to admit the way Jacob treated the two parts of his family differently.</p><p>Sophie didn't doubt that Jacob loved Kate, primarily because she couldn't imagine anyone not loving Kate. But moments like this hit a nerve for Sophie. Jacob was a busy man, jet setting around the world, scouting talent to recruit as part of his latest business venture, but the way he often dismissed Kate in the process didn't make Sophie think highly of him.</p><p>"How did you find out?" Sophie asked through her scowl.</p><p>"Mary called yesterday," Kate answered simply, trying her best to hide her frustration.</p><p>Moments like this reminded Sophie that behind her stubborn yet seemingly carefree facade, Kate was just as human as everyone else. She craved the love of her family just as much as anyone - even more, perhaps, given the circumstances. It was easy to forget that when Kate had a habit of deflecting the small things. Jacob had flown to Europe three days before Kate was due to return from Point Rock for the summer. At the time Kate didn't seem affected by it, and it wasn't something Sophie had known to question. Instead, she spent her energy getting Sophie moved in and acquainted to the penthouse. One silver lining to Kate's family vacationing all summer in some Italian villa meant the penthouse was unoccupied and free to make their own.</p><p>Initially Sophie had been skeptical of Kate's proposal to move in together for the summer. They'd been back together less than two weeks when Kate proposed the idea, and while Sophie had no intention of ending things between them, something about it felt too soon. Yes, they'd dated for a stint prior to this latest round, but somehow that didn't ease her initial hesitation.</p><p>The stipend she received from her Wayne Tech internship was enough to fund a room, and, after some initial searching, she'd found options on the northside of Gotham that fit her budget. She'd intended to do just that when she'd initially been offered the position and her and Kate were still very much broken up.</p><p>Fast forward a few weeks, and after a rather public moment of embarrassment followed by perhaps the happiest moment of Sophie's life, and the variables had changed dramatically. The rest of term was spent with Kate building a case that eventually changed her mind:</p><p>
  <em>"The hours are going to be crazy, Soph."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"So?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"So, that means we'll never see each other."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"That's pretty hyperbolic even for you."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I'm serious."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"And how do you figure that?" Sophie asked, humoring her girlfriend's appeal.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Because you're too type-A to skimp during the week which means you'll work late then have to immediately commute home to get there before dark, so we'll only ever see each other on weekends assuming you aren't working then, too."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Before dark?" Sophie scoffed. "What does that have to do with anything?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I'm not letting you wander around Gotham at night alone, and I'm guessing you won't let me pay for a cab every night from my place."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Excuse me? 'Not letting me'? I didn't realize I needed your permission."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Soph, don't take this the wrong way, but you're crazy hot."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I… what? First of all, most people take that as a compliment. And sec-"</em>
</p><p><em>"Yea, except in Gotham it also makes you a target. I'm sure Diane Moore would </em>love <em>to know the statistics around muggings of young women in the city."</em></p><p>Sophie let Kate bully her with anecdotes until she finally folded. It didn't take all that much convincing, but Sophie kept up the act a week longer than needed if only to see the lengths Kate would go toward persuading her. What came out of that final week was a genuine reason to fold:</p><p>
  <em>"Here," Kate said, slapping a newspaper over Sophie's textbook.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Ooh, Gotham Cinema has two for one Tuesdays on new releases?" Sophie read aloud.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Wh-no, under that."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What does a missing cat have to do with anything?" Sophie asked, amused by the absurd lengths Kate was going to.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"It's more evidence Gotham isn't safe."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sophie had to swallow a laugh as she processed Kate's latest insistence. "Sorry, you're telling me that a missing cat is proof? Cats run away all the time. It's one of their defining characteristics. That is… this is a terrible argument, Kate."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Ok, what about below that?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Nurse suspended for stealing prescription pads?"</em>
</p><p><em>"Yea, </em>and<em> she was using it to get drugs illegally for her boyfriend to sell on the streets."</em></p><p>
  <em>"You're just describing America, Kate. This isn't unique to Gotham. I also don't think I'm at risk of being sucked into the world of drugs."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Fine. Read the one below it then."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Young woman killed in…"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What was that?" Kate pressed with a scowl. "Couldn't hear that last bit."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Ok, one instance," Sophie tried to argue back. "And besides, I've got you training me in all the right combat moves, so it's fi-"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Read the last line."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Kate, I-"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Read it."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Silence fell as Sophie's eyes fell to the bottom of the page skimming the provided statistic.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Out loud," Kate demanded.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"This brings the annual total of young female deaths to a staggering 37 which suggests a trend that will double last year's total by September."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Exactly. You're living with me."</em>
</p><p>There wasn't much room for argument after that. Plus, Diane Moore was beside herself with relief when she told her parents Kate had offered a place for the summer within blocks of her work. If it wasn't Kate peppering her with data, it was her mother fear mongering about the unsafe city life. Beyond that, it was rent free, didn't require an hour long commute each way, and she didn't have to worry about random roommates that came with subletting. All of that was great, but what really sealed the deal was that Kate would be there.</p><p>
  <em>"Wait, you aren't going to Italy?" Sophie asked in surprise, pulling away from Kate to properly interrogate her. They'd been happily watching a documentary when conversations of Kate's summer plans came up.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Nah," Kate replied.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"At all? Really? But you always go somewhere."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"That's not true," Kate replied.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You literally never shut up about it. Greece last year, New Zealand the summer before, Iceland before that. I tried feta because you refused to let it go until I did."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I'm mixing it up this year," Kate said indifferently.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"This isn't because I'm using the flat is it? Because if it is, I can-"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Soph, that's not why," Kate sighed. "I mean, it is... b</em>
  <em>ut not in a bad way. I just figured a whole summer with you beats a trip to Italy any day."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You make it really hard to argue with you when you say things like that."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I love you, too," Kate smirked.</em>
</p><p>"So how about that food? The sun's almost down which means it's nearly your bedtime," Kate said, taking advantage of the silence that came from Sophie getting lost in her thoughts.</p><p>"We aren't done talking about this."</p><p>"I'd have been surprised if we were," Kate replied, offering a smirk that, to anyone else, would pass as natural, but Sophie had a superpower most didn't: she was more attuned to the subtlety of Kate's expressions.</p><p>"Well I'm glad we've established that as a norm," Sophie shot back. "I'll order, you clean the kitchen."</p><p>"Yes ma'am," Kate replied, this time with a genuine smirk, and Sophie relaxed slightly at the shift.</p><hr/><p>"What are you doing?" Kate called from the threshold of the terrace. Evening had fallen and she stood as a silhouette in the doorway interrogating the fact that her girlfriend was posted up at the kitchen island and not with her outside. They'd been happily cuddled on a lounge seat on the terrace after dinner when Kate had dozed and she awoke to find a blanket over her but without a girlfriend.</p><p>A breeze coming through the open door sent the shadow of her short hair flickering as she scowled at Sophie shooting her a smirk back.</p><p>"Reading," Sophie said simply, her attention jumping between two open books and a notebook splayed out in front of her.</p><p>"Business or pleasure?"</p><p>"Pleasure."</p><p>"Really?" Kate asked, scowling at the obviously studious nature of how Sophie occupied the work surface. "Because it definitely looks - oh, are you still at this?" she continued, recognizing the books. She glanced at the bookshelf to her right that revealed two empty slots where they had once resided.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"I could just tell you."</p><p>"It's not as fun."</p><p>"You'll be at it all summer," Kate said, slipping into the chair next to Sophie while rubbing her eyes awake.</p><p>"So?"</p><p>Kate sighed impatiently, flipping to the table of contents.</p><p>"Hey, what are y- I'm not finished," Sophie scowled as Kate took the Yehuda Amichai book from her. She had located it on the bookcase during their first week in the flat and had insisted on translating the poems until she found the one that graced Kate's skin. Kate had gawked at this when Sophie's plans became clear, but she remained steadfast and every other night Kate would find Sophie scowling critically between the book of poems and a Hebrew/English dictionary that also lived in the Kane library.</p><p>"I know, I'm just checking something," Kate replied, waving off Sophie's attempt to grab it back.</p><p>"I don't want to know it-"</p><p>"I know, Soph, just hold your horses…" Kate continued, scanning the list of poems.</p><p>"Hold my... Did you just tell me to hold my horses?"</p><p>"Yea, thought so," Kate muttered.</p><p>"Thought so, what?" Sophie asked when Kate slid the book back on the table and climbed to her feet, her eyes squinting at the third bay packed with books across the room.</p><p>"It's not in that one," Kate said simply, lifting her hand to track along the bindings of one shelf then another before pausing. She slipped a small, pocket-sized book from its home and quickly flipped through it to confirm her suspicion before turning back toward Sophie. "Here."</p><p>Sophie eyed Kate suspiciously before taking the book being offered. "Are you just messing with me?"</p><p>"Consider it a compromise. If you really want to spend all summer translating Hebrew, the least I can do is get you to look somewhere with the answer."</p><p>Sophie ran her fingers over the cover and realized it was very much unlike the one she'd been studying. For starters, the first book was obviously new; it was a paperback that looked like it'd never been opened. It was also riddled with publisher's footnotes and had the translated versions in the back which Sophie had very intentionally avoided looking at. This other one was clearly an original publishing. It was leather bound, and the spine suggested it was well-worn. She flipped through the pages and saw they had the same wear and tear to the edges. Small notes were handwritten in the margins, and when she returned to the first page she saw, in the upper right corner written in curly handwriting <em>G. Goldstein</em>.</p><p>"Was this your mom's?" Sophie asked.</p><p>"Yea," Kate replied simply, distracted by the mess from their takeout on the counter.</p><p>"I can't… I don't think I should, uh, maybe you can just tell me," Sophie conceded, feeling uncomfortable at the thought of handling something so personal.</p><p>"What?" Kate asked, a quizzical frown on her face. "After all of your 'I'm a strong independent woman and want to find it on my own'?"</p><p>"That's not even close to what I said. And I just... this is your mom's. I don't want to hurt it."</p><p>Kate eyed her with an amused grin. "What did you plan on doing with it?"</p><p>"What I meant is-"</p><p>"Light it on fire? Take it for a swim? Use it to learn Origami?"</p><p>"I just mean that I understand if you wouldn't want me, you know-"</p><p>"Reading it? Touching it? Breathing near it?" Kate rattled off.</p><p>"Why do you always make conversation difficult?"</p><p>"I don't - I'm great at conversations; you just always choose really bizarre topics."</p><p>"Shouldn't you be going to bed or something? It's nearly midnight."</p><p>"Sick of me already?" Kate grinned.</p><p>"Not you, just your snark."</p><p>"Package deal <em>babe</em>," Kate continued from across the kitchen, smiling wider at the eyeroll her remark earned. "You going to be up much later?"</p><p>"Just a bit. If <em>someone</em> hadn't come in and distracted me-"</p><p>"I think you mean 'helped you'..."</p><p>"Fine, 'helped me' - I'd be done faster."</p><p>"Done faster? This is literally self-imposed homework. No one is making you do this," Kate gawked.</p><p>"I don't understand why you're being such a grump about this. It's fun."</p><p>"Fun?"</p><p>"Yes, Kate. Fun," Sophie replied, her attention back on the books.</p><p>Kate could only gape back. "Fine, I'm going to bed."</p><p>"Night."</p><p>Kate turned to leave, feeling frustrated by the exchange. She was halfway down the hall, replaying the conversation in her head when she paused at the bedroom door, a pang of regret hitting her.</p><p>"Hey," came Kate's voice minutes later. Sophie glanced up in surprise.</p><p>"Hi. I thought you were-"</p><p>"I'm sorry."</p><p>"Oh. That - that's not really neces-"</p><p>"No, you were right. I was being a grump," Kate said, leaning onto the counter across from Sophie. "And I'm sorry."</p><p>"Do you want to talk about it?" Sophie asked, and they both knew the question had nothing to do with Yehuda Amichai or their conversation or Sophie's definition of 'fun'. The words floated between them and Sophie watched Kate contemplate lowering the drawbridge of her defenses.</p><p>"I love that your parents can't wait to visit you in the city. I know you aren't thrilled about it, but they love you and want to see you and be a part of your life. With Jacob… I get that he's busy, and I'm not even upset we didn't see each other. I guess… it'd just have been nice to know," Kate said finally.</p><p>"Have you told him that?"</p><p>"What? No," Kate said quickly. "That isn't… that's not how it works."</p><p>"Why not?"</p><p>"Because that's how it's always been," Kate replied.</p><p>Sophie watched Kate's gaze fall in thought.</p><p>"At least, that's how it's always been since Beth and mom died."</p><p>"Why do you think that is?" Sophie asked. She had her own theory, but she also understood this wasn't that kind of conversation. It was always easy for Kate to dismiss things - it let her avoid thinking critically about things that were personal to her. It wasn't that she couldn't draw her own conclusions, it's that she never gave herself the room to do it. Sophie had discovered that, more often than not, the thing Kate needed was a prompt and time.</p><p>"Because it was easier to move on that way than to try to go back to anything else," Kate said after a moment.</p><p>Sophie nodded, the translation and her notes all but forgotten in front of her.</p><p>"What if you went to Italy?" Sophie posited. "You'd be able to spend some time with-"</p><p>"No," Kate interrupted, her tone suggesting there wasn't room for negotiation.</p><p>"W-why not? You haven't seen them for months. Mary would be overjoyed if you went."</p><p>"Because I don't want to."</p><p>"You're joking. You're telling me you don't want to eat… fresh pasta and visit some Italian vineyard or-or-"</p><p>"No," Kate interrupted resolutely.</p><p>Sophie stared back at Kate in confusion. "But why not?"</p><p>"I'm going to bed," Kate said with finality as she pushed away from the counter to leave.</p><p>"What? Kate, wait, I didn't mean to upset you-"</p><p>"I know, Soph. I'm not upset, I just… I'm going to bed."</p><p>"Ok."</p><p>Sophie hesitated before deciding to stay back for a few minutes. She committed to translating another three lines of text before calling it quits, giving Kate the chance to cool off and fall asleep. She climbed to her feet and turned off the lights before making her way to the bedroom where she took note of Kate laying in bed.</p><p>"Hey," Sophie whispered, slipping under the covers. "Can't sleep?"</p><p>"I could be asleep," Kate whispered back in the dark.</p><p>"You're on your back," Sophie explained easily, rolling onto her side to scrutinize Kate's unmoving form. They remained silently like this for a few minutes. Sophie hesitated to ask anything as she fought off the pull of sleep.</p><p>"You don't need to stay awake, Soph," Kate offered.</p><p>"I know I don't need to. I want to," Sophie shrugged.</p><p>Kate rolled onto her side to face Sophie.</p><p>"I don't want to go to Italy because I want to spend the summer with you," she said finally. "And… and it sounds silly to say, but it's true. If given the chance to hang out with Jacob and Mary or you, I pick you. I'd pick you every time, and I'm sorry for being so moody about everything."</p><p>Sophie didn't reply. Instead she brought a hand to Kate's cheek and leaned in with a kiss.</p><p>"You're painfully irresistible when you say stuff like that," Sophie said when she pulled away.</p><p>"Does it make up for my being a pain to live with?"</p><p>"Yes. It more than makes up for it," Sophie chuckled, letting Kate slide against her and pulling her into a tight hug. "Just don't make a habit of it."</p><p>"Deal."</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is… basically just a fluff chapter, and I couldn't be happier about it.</p>
<p>I do feel compelled to add a brief disclaimer now in case it isn't your cup of tea: there will be some explicit material in the next few chapters. I plan to update the warnings to reflect this, but just a forewarning in advance.</p>
<p>As always, all of my gratitude for your ongoing reading and reviews. An extra thanks goes for letting me jump ship then reach for a lifeline on the main story. It will be slower going for a tiny bit, but I hope to post something for that soon.</p>
<p>Cheers,<br/>EQT.95</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p>"Hold that, will you?" The voice came from the lobby. Instinctively, Sophie extended her arm to block the elevator doors from closing. She was greeted a moment later by the appreciative nod of Bruce Wayne as he slipped his broad-shoulders into the elevator next to her.</p>
<p>"Thanks," he muttered, tapping the top floor's button and glancing at his watch.</p>
<p>"Late for something, sir?"</p>
<p>"I'm always late for something," he replied coolly as the doors slid closed. "You're here early."</p>
<p>"Only because I don't like being late for things," Sophie replied dryly before she caught herself, realizing who she'd just said that to. Yes, Bruce was Kate's cousin. Yes, they'd had a decent conversation months ago. But none of that mattered because in this moment he was her boss. Just because they had common ground in Kate didn't hide that fact. Her look of horror met an amused smirk on Bruce's face. "I.. sorry, I-"</p>
<p>"I see why Kate likes you so much," he muttered. His strained look from a moment earlier relaxed. "I assume you also keep her on her toes."</p>
<p>"Oh, uh I… try?"</p>
<p>"Let's grab lunch."</p>
<p>Sophie responded with a squint of confusion.</p>
<p>"You've been here a month," Bruce explained. "It's a tradition with all interns that I take them out for one-on-ones. Gives them a chance to… network."</p>
<p>"Oh."</p>
<p>"Wednesday work for you?" Bruce asked. "How does Indian sound?"</p>
<p>It was rhetorical. It's not like she had a say in the matter. Except.</p>
<p>"I… yes, but…"</p>
<p>"But what? No Indian?" Bruce asked with some surprise.</p>
<p>"No, but… uh, well maybe you could meet with Kate instead?"</p>
<p>Sophie didn't count this as courage. She was all nerves when it came to authority, and this was, at face value, no different. But this wasn't about face value. This was about Kate, and for Kate she could take on anything.</p>
<p>"What?" Bruce asked. There was a look of genuine surprise on his face. It looked as unfamiliar as it probably felt for it to contort that way.</p>
<p>"You've cancelled on her twice."</p>
<p>"Work is work; she knows better than anyone what that means-"</p>
<p>"I know, and she isn't blaming you," Sophie rushed, "but… I think she could use it."</p>
<p>Bruce's surprise quickly morphed into a stoic appraisal of her. She could practically see the neurons at work behind his piercing blue eyes. They weren't green but they had the same focused, intensive quality as Kate's. It comforted Sophie. It also put her on edge because she knew what those eyes were capable of.</p>
<p>"Do you know how many people would kill for lunch with me?" Bruce asked as he considered her proposal.</p>
<p>"I'm sure plenty, sir. You must have a very high body count by now."</p>
<p>"And you want to give it up, so I can have lunch with my cousin," he continued.</p>
<p>Sophie realized stoicism must be a Kane thing. Bruce's face was practically empty except for the slight spark in his eyes. Sophie had enough experience with Kate to know it was a mix of shock and suspicion.</p>
<p>"I... yes, I do."</p>
<p>A moment passed. A less courageous Sophie would have already assumed she'd just ruined any opportunity for either herself or Kate. That less courageous version started showing up the longer the silence lasted until finally: "Fine."</p>
<p>"Really?" Sophie asked, unable to contain her own hopeful surprise. She didn't have the Kane magic when it came to expressions.</p>
<p>"Yes. You're a strange bird, Ms. Moore," Bruce admitted, studying her with renewed curiosity.</p>
<p>"I've been called worse," Sophie smirked, taking it as a win.</p>
<p>"Mm," Bruce replied, already lost in a different thought. "Well, I'm sure I can make Thursday work, too. Do you like Indian or sushi?"</p>
<p>"Really?" Sophie responded with the same uncontrolled glance of surprise. Bruce shrugged dismissively. "Uh, either is fine with me."</p>
<p>"So be it. I'll ask Kate, and we'll eat whichever she doesn't choose."</p>
<p>"That'll be sushi then," Sophie advised.</p>
<p>"Kate loves sushi," Bruce replied in confusion.</p>
<p>"Oh, well… it's kind of a story-"</p>
<p>"Save it for lunch," he replied with a mischievous smirk.</p>
<p>The elevator slowed to a stop.</p>
<p>"You two planning on attending Grandma Kane's fourth of July bash?" Bruce asked as the doors opened.</p>
<p>"Oh, uh, yes, sir," Sophie said, recalling a conversation from a week or two earlier. It still felt half a summer away, but that hadn't stopped the nerves from taking root in anticipation.</p>
<p>"Bruce," he corrected, pausing Sophie midstep as she exited. "I won't say it again. And good; Grandma Kane will like you."</p>
<p>"Understood. Thanks, Bruce," she replied while the doors closed between them.</p>
<hr/>
<p>"Hey <em>babe</em>," Kate smirked as Sophie leaned over the back of the couch to press her lips lightly against hers.</p>
<p>"Much better," Sophie grinned back, hovering a whisper over Kate's lips. She loved all sides of Kate, but given the choice, she'd take this lighter version of her girlfriend from a day earlier any day.</p>
<p>"Than?" Kate asked when Sophie pulled away.</p>
<p>"Yesterday. You're in a good mood."</p>
<p>"Didn't notice," Kate waved off, her attention returning to the laptop screen in front of her.</p>
<p>"Oh?" Sophie said, lifting Kate's legs from the couch and sliding under them. "I mean… you haven't set the kitchen on fire, so-" A shade of yellow flashed into her view. "-<em>ooph!</em>"</p>
<p>She instinctively lifted her hands, curling her fingers and wrangling the pillow from Kate's outstretched hand. A quick yank pulled it from her grasp. A moment later Sophie had twisted upright, setting on her knees, straddling Kate's legs with the pillow now hovering threateningly back at Kate.</p>
<p>"Woa, woa, ok, ok, truce?" Kate offered, knowing the glimmer of warning in Sophie's eye.</p>
<p>"Hmm," Sophie replied thoughtfully before dropping the pillow onto Kate's legs.</p>
<p>"But since you're here," Kate mused, slipping the laptop over to the coffee table.</p>
<p>It had started as a joke. The beginning of light banter. That was until her eyes were met with an unobstructed view of Sophie. That was when a familiar hunger took hold.</p>
<p>Sophie Moore was gorgeous. She could wear a tunic of fast food wrappers and still be the most attractive woman Kate had ever laid her eyes on. But that didn't mean what she was wearing now was any less disarming.</p>
<p>On a mannequin Kate wouldn't have batted an eye. But on Sophie Moore? It unravelled her.</p>
<p>A light cream blouse fell perfectly against every soft curve of Sophie's body. What wasn't accentuated through the loose fabric was articulated by the slight translucency of the fabric. The evening lighting coming from the window provided the perfect level to let the edges of Sophie's silhouette glow.</p>
<p>Kate would have drooled except her mouth was dry. Sandpaper dry.</p>
<p>And then there was the skirt. It was fabulously tight against her toned legs. This was exacerbated by the offensive pose she'd taken moments earlier to threaten Kate. The dark grey fabric clung to her thigh, bunching slightly where it clashed with Kate's legs to expose more of Sophie's leg than intended.</p>
<p>Kate felt the warm rush of blood pulsing through her body and pounding in her ears. Her imagination swelled with thoughts that would very quickly get her in trouble. They were thoughts she had boxed away. She was terrible at hiding that box though. Instead, they were showing up more and more frequently, and Kate was forced to pivot sharply at the risk of overstepping.</p>
<p>She needed a pivot.</p>
<p>"Bruce rescheduled," Kate offered.</p>
<p>Good pivot.</p>
<p>"Oh."</p>
<p>Sophie stared back.</p>
<p>"That's great."</p>
<p>Sophie tried to contain the mix of shock and confusion that swept through her. She quickly shifted off Kate and navigated to the kitchen. She used the air from the refrigerator to cool the flush she felt. Her heightened heart-rate would take another minute to calm.</p>
<p>"Yea," Kate replied, returning her attention to the momentarily forgotten laptop.</p>
<p>Sophie should have been happy. If there was one thing weeks together had caused, it was a gradual deterioration in Kate's stubbornness about keeping things in. This was a minor detail but not one she'd have shared a few months ago, and Sophie was grateful for it. She was grateful even if a lingering dissatisfaction nagged at the back of her mind.</p>
<p>In many ways their relationship had picked up exactly where it left off months earlier with a few exceptions. From the moment they'd kissed outside the bar nearly three months earlier, their relationship had shifted slightly. No longer did Sophie sit idly by when she felt Kate close herself off. Instead she voiced her concern and waited for Kate to come around to opening up about it. With time, Kate learned to reciprocate, and out of that came a more open line of communication than Kate had ever expected to experience in any relationship.</p>
<p>It initially surprised Kate how much sharing these small details made her feel happier and more connected to Sophie. For as much as she thought they shared when they'd dated the first time, this level of honesty in their relationship wasn't something that had been there before, and Kate credited that change entirely to Sophie.</p>
<p>This was true of all topics in their relationship. Except for one.</p>
<p>"You wouldn't have had anything to do with that, would you?" Kate asked, and Sophie knew from her tone that she was busted.</p>
<p>"We may have taken an elevator ride together."</p>
<p>"Is that 'Wayne Tech' speak for 'you joined the mile-high club with my cousin'?" Kate asked and broke out into an uncontrolled laughter at the mortified look on Sophie's face staring back from across the kitchen.</p>
<p>Three shades of red later Sophie pivoted: "What do you want for dinner?"</p>
<p>"Oh, don't be like that. It was a joke," Kate pleaded as Sophie set about pulling things from the cabinets.</p>
<p>"I know," Sophie replied, ignoring the puppy dog look coming from her girlfriend.</p>
<p>"But then… wh-what?"</p>
<p>"I'm hungry," Sophie shot over her shoulder, her attention on the refrigerator's stock. "And I don't trust you not to burn down the place."</p>
<p>"Hater."</p>
<p>The next twenty minutes were spent in relative silence as Sophie began preparing a mix of veggies. Chicken seared in the pan behind her. Kate had transitioned to the bar from the couch, but her scowl of concentration remained. After a few fleeting attempts at conversation Sophie finally gave up and let Kate delve into whatever rabbit hole of the internet she'd found.</p>
<p>A few minutes remained on the stir fry when Kate retired back to the bedroom. Sophie barely took notice until she glanced back and saw the seat empty. A familiar chime pulled her attention from dinner, and she glanced around in search of her phone. She eyed the pan on the stove then set out looking for it.</p>
<p>Four scattered cushions, two toppled stacks of books, and literally every surface interrogated for her phone later, she remembered it was in her bag. Her bag which had been left at the front door. She rolled her eyes in self-annoyance before trekking to it, checking the pan for any risk of burning. The last thing she needed was to give Kate any ammunition over crisped edges.</p>
<p>She found it in no time, sighed at the string of notifications she'd missed, and felt a relief that none of them were work related. She mindlessly made her way back toward the kitchen when a small noise distracted her attention from the soft sizzling of dinner on the stove. She glanced to her left and caught sight of Kate in the bedroom, her back facing her and in the middle of changing into her go-to casual evening wear of sweats and a shirt. She was in the midst of sliding her top up, over her head, and the simple act caused Sophie to falter.</p>
<p>She paused. Then she took a step forward only to freeze again. She stepped backward. She felt torn as she continued to watch through the partially closed door. There was nothing new about this. Kate changed clothes all the time. Sophie did too. They were two humans living together. They had seen each other on countless occasions dressing and undressing. Yet that wasn't the innocent way Sophie's mind defined it.</p>
<p>Unaware of Sophie's presence, Kate unclasped her bra, revealing her exposed, toned back, and extents of her freshly inked skin.</p>
<p>Sophie's breath caught in her throat. Her fingers twitched at her side.</p>
<p>She gazed, unbreathing at her girlfriend with an unsquashable desire she'd tried to suppress for the better part of four weeks. It didn't listen to her pleas. Instead it surged to the surface. It was easy enough to sideline her imagination when they were back at school, bogged down with studies, and didn't share a room, but now that they lived in the privacy of a penthouse flat, their days ended at relatively normal hours, and there was practically nothing to distract herself with, her mind couldn't help but wander.</p>
<p>She felt her mouth go dry as Kate turned, providing a silhouette of her breast in the dim light of the bedroom. Sophie suppressed a small whimper, feeling stuck in a familiar internal struggle: she knew the only reason Kate hadn't made a move was out of respect for Sophie's hesitation. All she'd have to do was lower the drawbridge to the fortress of her own resistance and everything she'd spent the last months daydreaming could come true. It was that simple.</p>
<p>Except it wasn't that simple. Fear of Kate's rejection wasn't the problem. It was that she was worried about her own lack of experience. In classic Sophie Moore fashion she had defaulted, hesitantly at first, to trying to study her way into experience. It wasn't that she didn't understand the anatomy, but growing up in a rigid household with thin walls had never provided her the opportunity to… explore that side of things. And then her first experience of living outside of that house had landed her with Kate as a roommate.</p>
<p>She'd spent the better part of that first semester confused and resisting what she had been trained were impure thoughts. The few times she had considered testing the waters had been quickly shut down when her imagination transformed into her very female roommate. After that, she'd been nervous to broach the idea.</p>
<p>Fast forward to last summer. She'd worked herself up to taking the next step. She thought she was ready, but a slew misunderstandings, unintended arguments, and miscues and misfires had quickly shut the door on that possibility.</p>
<p>Then the following semester was made near impossible with the introduction of Riley Thomas as her roommate. That her and Kate were still keeping their relationship hidden didn't exactly provide ample opportunity that fall semester. What came next was a break-up and a spring semester of heartache and regret. It was only now, being back together for nearly three months, that Sophie felt for the first time that what they had been dancing around could finally be broached - if only she could overcome the anxiety of her inexperience.</p>
<p>It was perhaps a silly fear, and Kate had made clear any number of times that she didn't carry any expectations about Sophie's 'performance' in the bedroom. Those reassurances didn't stop the nagging worry that her inexperience might drive Kate away.</p>
<p>"I confirmed with Evan," Kate called out suddenly, mid-change. Sophie jumped, a bolt of shock tearing her back to reality by the casual remark, and she hastened to the kitchen where she could call back without suspicion.</p>
<p>"O-ok, great," she called back, cursing the shakiness in her voice.</p>
<p>"You still ok going?" Kate asked, reacting to the unfamiliar inflection in Sophie's voice.</p>
<p>"What?" Sophie feigned in surprise as Kate joined her in the kitchen, now clad in a Point Rock shirt. She felt to flush with nervousness to recognize the small wave of disappointment she felt. "Of course."</p>
<p>"I just know that last time wasn't the best, so I get if you're hesitant. We can stay in or-or find something else to do."</p>
<p>"And miss out on the big birthday bash at the top of the world?" Sophie asked, feeling her heart-rate return to sea level.</p>
<p>"Gotham. It's just the top of Gotham."</p>
<p>"Not what the invite says," Sophie smirked, pulling it from the fridge and waving it as proof.</p>
<p>"That's because Evan's never left Gotham, and he has little context for anything else," Kate said dryly, snatching at the invitation fluttering in front of her face.</p>
<p>"Isn't he an art dealer?"</p>
<p>"'Art dealer' is generous. He's just a kid with too much inheritance and a knack for story-telling. He mostly operates through online auction houses when his work branches outside the city."</p>
<p>"Wait, so he's really never left Gotham?" Sophie asked, confused that a child of millionaires hadn't flirted with even national travel.</p>
<p>"He went to London once as a kid and was so terrified of the flight that his parents considered booking tickets back on a boat. Instead they used… well, basically tranquilizers to get him back across the pond. After that he's limited himself to ground transportation."</p>
<p>"Really?" Sophie asked in amazement. She'd never flown anywhere before, but she couldn't imagine letting that stop her.</p>
<p>"Is something burning?" Kate asked, her nose scrunched in distaste. Out of the corner of her eye Sophie saw the first wisp of smoke.</p>
<p>"Oh, shit."</p>
<hr/>
<p>Their nights usually followed one of three paths.</p>
<p>The first was some evening adventure curated by Kate to get Sophie out into the city. For as much as fear mongering as she'd invested in making Gotham out to be a nightly fright fest, the exact opposite seemed true. The obvious qualifier was that they rarely navigated to the more questionable boroughs of the city like the East End.</p>
<p>The second way involved one or both of them working well into the night. For Sophie it was reading up on some published paper about her 'top secret' work at Wayne Tech or digging through the writings of Yehuda Amichai. For Kate, well, Sophie wasn't entirely sure what Kate spent her scowls on. She was clearly pouring over something, but she was unusually mum about it. Sophie jokingly asked once if it was porn. This earned a harsh scowl of disapproval. After that she dropped it, waiting for Kate to reveal on her own terms whatever had captured her attention.</p>
<p>And it really was her full attention. After two years of studying together, Sophie noted that there were very few topics that could really arrest Kate's interest. Her ability to get distracted was part and parcel with her identity, but this had her enraptured. This was made only more evident by the quiet mutterings that filled the empty flat on nights she was nose-deep into her computer.</p>
<p>The third way usually came when they'd both arrived home late, too mentally exhausted to continue. On these nights they would eventually find themselves laying together on one of the oversized lounge chairs. They stared out at the city, enjoying the shared silence of each other's company while the sound of the city from below percolated up to them.</p>
<p>Work hadn't been especially grueling, and both returned home with the sun still up. Nevertheless, they'd mutually been drawn to this third path, preferring the silent comfort of a night on the terrace together to anything else.</p>
<p>Sophie was infatuated with the way the car horns and subway cars could create the music of the city. The occasional shout or music added an extra level of complexity. On her third night living in the flat she caught the soft melodies from a flautist off in the distance. A week later she could make out every syllable and curse from an argument floors below. She'd be remiss not to include the sirens from police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks that seemed on call 24-hours a day, but even that layer of noise felt uniquely Gotham.</p>
<p>Tiny twitches from the body next to her confirmed Kate was half an inch from full-blown passing out. It made Sophie smile.</p>
<p>"Hey," she said softly, nudging Kate from the edge of sleep.</p>
<p>"Hm?"</p>
<p>"Bed," Sophie said softly, giving Kate a light squeeze.</p>
<p>"Can't we just stay out here?" Kate mumbled softly, worming her way around Sophie.</p>
<p>"Last time we did that you got eaten by mosquitoes," Sophie replied with practiced patience.</p>
<p>"You'll protect me," Kate explained without evidence.</p>
<p>"Is that right?"</p>
<p>"Mhm," Kate muttered. "You have that force field thing."</p>
<p>"So eloquent. But no, not tonight. I have work tomorrow and you, for some ungodly reason, insist on getting up at five on weekdays."</p>
<p>"It's for training."</p>
<p>"It's insane."</p>
<p>"Says you, the psycho poet studier," Kate sighed grumpily, finally opening her eyes. What she saw was the city skyline twinkling with lights shining back at them. It was as close to a night's sky as they could get in Gotham.</p>
<p>"Not your best work," Sophie smirked.</p>
<p>"Disagree. You're definitely my best work."</p>
<hr/>
<p>"She's a far cry from your usual hookups."</p>
<p>"Sophie's not a hookup," Kate said defensively.</p>
<p>Bruce surveyed Kate, a smirk at the corner of his mouth challenging his stoicism.</p>
<p>"Taking things slow? This might be the most grown up thing you've ever done," Bruce replied coolly.</p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>"Or are you worried you'll lose interest after… you know."</p>
<p>"Why do you instigate like that? It's not like you're some saint; you don't exactly have the greatest track record. I've seen the headlines, Mr. Playboy."</p>
<p>"Checking up on me all the way from Point Rock? I'm flattered," Bruce said lamely.</p>
<p>"Don't be. The tabloids don't have much by way of famous people in north New York," Kate shrugged. "It's either you or sightings of some killer crocodile."</p>
<p>"Mmm," Bruce replied, his attention on the menu. "What's this I hear about you not liking sushi anymore?" he easily deflected.</p>
<p>Kate rolled her eyes. "What a brat. It was one time."</p>
<p>"She cares about you. God knows why, but she does," Bruce said dryly, glancing up briefly from the menu to see Kate struggle to contain a smile.</p>
<p>"I know. She is… she's the best."</p>
<p>"Well, then, I suggest you don't mess it up again."</p>
<p>"What makes you think I did the first time?" Kate scowled.</p>
<p>"Because you're a Kane."</p>
<p>"You say that like it's a curse. Not every Kane has struck out, you know."</p>
<p>"How many wives has Uncle Phil had?"</p>
<p>"Wasn't he adopted?"</p>
<p>"Is Grandma Kane still spreading that rumor?" Bruce smirked as the waitress arrived.</p>
<p>"Have we decided?" she asked, very aware of the company she was keeping.</p>
<p>"Uh-" Kate began, realizing she'd been so caught up on Bruce's teasing that she hadn't taken the time to survey the menu.</p>
<p>"Yes," Bruce said easily before rattling off an order that would provide them both with an ample array of options.</p>
<p>"Always prepared," Kate muttered grumpily when the waitress had retreated to fetch their drinks.</p>
<p>"Oh, sorry. Was that not feminist?" Bruce asked knowingly and chuckling at the sharp glare Kate offered in return.</p>
<p>"Maybe don't be such a boy scout when you take Soph out," Kate scowled back.</p>
<p>"You presume Ms. Moore wouldn't come prepared?"</p>
<p>Kate's mouth fell open, unable to formulate a quick retort to Bruce's response.</p>
<p>"So, what are you doing this summer? I haven't seen your name in the papers, so either you've gotten better at dodging the cameras or you're behaving," Bruce continued, using the pause to tangent discussions. His ability to slip into the role of big-brother was uncanny. He spent so much of his life being the calculated CEO of Wayne Enterprise with a lavish partying billionaire playboy and ego to match that it was hard for anyone to imagine a sensitive side to Bruce. But Kate could.</p>
<p>"I haven't had much need to go out," Kate explained. It was enough to quell Bruce's brotherly prodding for the moment.</p>
<p>"And during the day?" Bruce pressed.</p>
<p>"The usual; training and bumming around," Kate replied without detail, nodding in thanks to the waitress who had just returned with their drinks.</p>
<p>"I hear you've been hanging out on the East End."</p>
<p>"Oh? According to who?"</p>
<p>"Are you looking to get knifed?" Bruce scolded.</p>
<p>"I'm never there at night," Kate groaned with an eye-roll to match her exasperation.</p>
<p>"What are you doing over there?"</p>
<p>"You know, if roles were reversed you'd monologue for an hour about how your business is your business and-"</p>
<p>"The difference is the roles aren't reversed. So, I'll ask again: why are you hanging out in one of the most-crime infested boroughs of Gotham?"</p>
<p>Kate fell back into her chair, jaw set with a stubborn gaze.</p>
<p>"I know you already know the answer to that," Kate replied grumpily.</p>
<p>"All permits for the Wayne Foundation cross my desk," Bruce shrugged.</p>
<p>"Yea, that's why I left my name off them," Kate scowled. "But somehow-" she said, waving a hand in the air to explain the magic of the all-knowing Bruce Wayne.</p>
<p>"Renovation, huh? It's quite ambitious. But, the location is a good one, and you've partnered with a decent contractor. That's not easy to do in this town. He worked on two of the other soup kitchens the Martha Foundation opened."</p>
<p>"I'm barely involved," Kate dismissed.</p>
<p>"I think sixty hours a week and a three million dollar investment says otherwise."</p>
<p>"Sixty is a bit high-"</p>
<p>"Fine, fifty-five."</p>
<p>"I'm just curious."</p>
<p>"Right," Bruce smiled. "All trust-fund kids get curious about opening soup kitchens and halfway homes."</p>
<p>"It's practically a right of passage," Kate replied dryly.</p>
<p>"It's quite a noble cause."</p>
<p>"No, a noble cause would be ending poverty."</p>
<p>"Now you're just asking for a miracle," Bruce sighed as the food arrived.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Double chapter weekend; here is part 1 of 2.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p>"Have you ever used this chair for sitting?" Sophie called from the bedroom as Kate strolled past from the hall. Sophie saw Kate's fingers snag onto the door frame before swinging herself back toward Sophie.</p>
<p>"What chair?" Kate asked, her head floating in the doorway.</p>
<p>"This one?"</p>
<p>Kate's head cocked to the side as she examined the mound of clothing Sophie was pointing at. The 'pile' was relegated to the corner of the room, caught between two walls and the bed.</p>
<p>"Huh."</p>
<p>"Is this where you tell me you didn't know there was a chair under here?"</p>
<p>"Now that you mention it, I think I remember seeing one. Might be a dark purple? Or black? Or…" Sophie lifted the pile of clothes off the seat. "Oh, yea, grey, ok," Kate nodded, her memory flashing back to the one or two times it wasn't adorned with half her closet. "You mind leaving that pile though? It's in order."</p>
<p>"This is in order?" Sophie muttered quietly as Kate's head disappeared from view. "What order?" she asked to the empty doorway.</p>
<p>"Hm?" Kate called back.</p>
<p>"I said," Sophie began, raising her voice before sighing in exasperation. "Oh, nevermind."</p>
<p>She let the pile collapse from her arms back onto the forgotten chair and followed Kate's trajectory back into the living space.</p>
<p>"What'd you say?"</p>
<p>"Nothing," Sophie said. Her eyes struggled to refrain from rolling. "Are you packed?"</p>
<p>"Uh…"</p>
<p>"Kate."</p>
<p>"What if we just like... didn't… go?" Kate asked. Her voice was at a pitch Sophie had never heard, and her face was contorted with forced indifference to the point of being hyperbolic.</p>
<p>"Do you not want to go?" Sophie asked. This was the fifth time in as many days that Kate had posed the question.</p>
<p>"No, I… I want to go, I'm just making sure…"</p>
<p>"And what about the first four times you asked gave you the impression I was waffling?" Sophie asked.</p>
<p>"I… don't know?"</p>
<p>It was the day of Evan's birthday party. 'Party' was an understatement. State gatherings didn't even carry this level of pomp and circumstance. He couldn't have chosen a more over-the-top way to celebrate it. Not only was the rooftop terrace of Gotham's most prestigious hotel booked for the occasion, the top three floors had been blocked off for the guests to retire after an evening of indulging in the finest Gotham's elite had to offer. Kate didn't know what he had planned, but if previous birthdays were anything to go off, they could expect anything from a cocktail bar crafted from solid ice to aerial dancers swinging overhead for 'light entertainment' during the cocktail hour. The one tradition held that consistently every year was the finale: a thirty minute firework and light show over Miller Harbor.</p>
<p>"<em>It's his gift to the people of Gotham," Kate offered sardonically one night days earlier.</em></p>
<p>"<em>His gift? You're joking, right?"</em></p>
<p>"<em>Those are his words," Kate quickly clarified. "In celebration of his birth, he bestows onto the people a glimpse of joy off the harbor," she said, her voice elevated as though officiating some grand declaration.</em></p>
<p>"<em>Couldn't he just… I don't know, give that money to charity?"</em></p>
<p>"<em>But then what would Evan get out of that?" Kate quipped back.</em></p>
<p>When Kate initially described the festivities Sophie thought she was making the whole thing up. Birthday parties for her meant bonfires, slumber parties, or, if you were Nathan Bennett, a trip out on the family sailboat for an afternoon. The concept was so absurdly lavish that half of the things Kate rattled off would never have landed on Sophie's radar a year earlier.</p>
<p>Kate's world was a strange one. The more time she spent in it - even if it was observing from the sidelines - the more she wondered how Kate had remained so normal.</p>
<p>The packing was the final step - excluding travel - and Sophie found herself confronting the same resistance she'd been met with for the last week. They were supposed to leave for the hotel in an hour. The party started in two, and Kate, in classic fashion, was leaving everything to the last minute.</p>
<p>"Kate."</p>
<p>"What?" Kate asked, distractedly wandering toward the couch.</p>
<p>"Would you stop freaking out."</p>
<p>"I'm not."</p>
<p>Kate replied with such practiced control that anyone other than Sophie might have believed her.</p>
<p>"Yes you are," Sophie pressed, watching the subtle ways her girlfriend squirmed from the edge of the kitchen. "You may take after the Kane stoicism, but you're not fooling me."</p>
<p>They stared at each other, a moment of silent communication penetrating Kate's blank expression. It wasn't the expression Sophie interrogated. It was the slight way Kate's eyes shifted to avoid eye contact. It was the way her hands sat shoved in her pockets because she didn't know how else to keep them busy.</p>
<p>"I just don't want you to have a bad time," Kate finally confessed, plopping on the couch for added exasperation.</p>
<p>"Then let's have a good time," Sophie replied easily, crossing the grand space toward her girlfriend.</p>
<p>"Because that worked so well before," Kate argued.</p>
<p>The implied meaning was not lost on Sophie. Instead of taking the bait though she played ignorant.</p>
<p>"I dunno," Sophie smirked, falling with an eagerness befitting a child onto the couch next to Kate, "you said there'd be a chocolate fountain…"</p>
<p>"Yea but last time… last time it didn't - I didn't…"</p>
<p>"Then don't."</p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>"Don't let it be last time," Sophie offered softly. It had taken nearly two weeks for Kate to admit her reservations, and Sophie was prepared. Yes, the last time Kate brought Sophie out to meet her friends it ended poorly. Yes, Kate left her stranded with not one but <em>two</em> former flings. Yes, conversation pulled Sophie's inexperience to the forefront of her mind. And yes, Sophie learned more about Kate than she was prepared for.</p>
<p>But that was then. That was before. They weren't the same couple from a year ago, and that was all the confidence Sophie needed to eliminate any concerns for how the night would unfold.</p>
<p>"How did I get so lucky?" Kate asked, hearing all of the forgiveness and optimism in Sophie's response.</p>
<p>"You? I'm the one living rent-free in one of the fanciest penthouses Gotham has to offer," Sophie smirked, accepting the soft kiss that Kate leaned in to give her.</p>
<p>It was meant to be a quick kiss. But lately a quick kiss never ended at the first kiss.</p>
<p>Instead, time and programme faded. Instead Sophie felt a warm glow that had nothing to do with the evening light burning through the windows into the flat. Instead the kiss deepened.</p>
<p>Kate's hands travelled slowly then quickly to Sophie's waist. Sophie's hands reciprocated, pressing into Kate and sending her back into the couch.</p>
<p>Kate didn't fight, surrendering to Sophie's guidance and falling back onto the plump cushion. Sophie's weight shifted to crawl over Kate, keeping their lips locked.</p>
<p>Kate's hands split, one gripping firmly at Sophie's thigh while the other slipped under her shirt. This encouraged Sophie to lean in. Suddenly the space between them didn't exist, and Kate felt her body betray her, thrusting into Sophie without permission.</p>
<p>Terror gripped Kate, and she froze, tearing her lips from Sophie.</p>
<p>"Wh-"</p>
<p>"I should pack."</p>
<hr/>
<p>After clumsily making her excuse, Kate had retreated to the bedroom to properly chastise herself for letting things get out of hand. It was becoming a constant source of worry for her that every mistake, every slip-up would only scare Sophie away. It was more than on her mind. It was on her every second of every day. She woke up to it and fell asleep to it, and that only made everything worse. Every touch, every glance, every quip was now second guessed. Her entire existence was strained through a filter to ensure she wasn't saying or doing anything taboo.</p>
<p>The couple had left the loft and taken a car to the hotel in relative silence. Like all previous times this too remained undiscussed. It was brushed under the rug. It was filed away. It was rolled up, slipped into a bottle, capped, then tossed into the ocean.</p>
<p>If only it were that easy. The unfortunate thing was that, just because they didn't talk about, it didn't wipe their memories clean of the moments. And for as much as those moments haunted Kate, the lustful side of her that incited those reactions was drooling over every tiny detail of each memory. That made it worse.</p>
<p>The hotel was ninety-stories tall, making it the second tallest building in Gotham next to Wayne Tower, and given that hosting a lively event on the top of a corporate building wasn't exactly the romantic setting Evan was looking for, this second-best was best.</p>
<p>It was the second-fanciest room Sophie had ever been in; the first being when she'd stayed at the same hotel months earlier for her Wayne Tech interview. That's not to say the room Kate had booked wasn't exquisite; in fact the layout and finishes were the exact same. The difference was the view. Sophie's previous room had been somewhere around the thirtieth floor, with direct views into the heart of the city. This room sat on the eighty-eighth floor, floating above the city with a view out over the harbor.</p>
<p>Upon arrival the couple had silently retreated to different parts of the room: Sophie to the bathroom and Kate to… well, the room-room.</p>
<p>"Hey, you gonna be much longer?" Kate called from the edge of the bed.</p>
<p>She'd slowly gotten ready; first changing, then distractedly flipping through the tv, then scrolling through her phone. She had just finished sculpting her hair into place and was now idly flipping through the hotel's welcome brochure. The click of a door caught Kate's attention and she looked up to see Sophie stepping out of the bathroom.</p>
<p>"Nope," Sophie said.</p>
<p>"You... look… " Kate flailed, her brain nothing but mush and instant lust for the woman standing in front of her, "uh... g-good," Kate coughed out, her heart pulsing so hard she could hear it beating in her ears. She could've sworn her cheeks were the color of cherries for how flushed she suddenly felt. Dizzily her eyes scanned the full lengths of Sophie's attire, wanting to absorb every iota of it as she stood to meet her.</p>
<p>Her typically up hairdo was down, falling in loose curls onto her shoulders. She was dressed in a deep blue blouse that climbed to sit snugly around her neck before falling and draping over her breasts and tucking into a pair of skin-tight black pants that left Kate's imagination buzzing. A pair of matching blue heels put her above Kate's height. That alone would have been enough to send Kate down a path of no return, but paired with the rest of the outfit, she was completely beside herself.</p>
<p>"Not your best word," Sophie teased, clearly unaware of the effect she was having on her malfunctioning girlfriend mere feet away.</p>
<p>"Only because I can't think of a word that would satisfy how stunning you look," Kate said, leaning in to give her a soft kiss.</p>
<p>"I…" Sophie flushed when Kate pulled away.</p>
<p>"Yes?"</p>
<p>"You're good," Sophie said, struggling to come up with even a half decent retort.</p>
<p>"And the night's still young," Kate smirked, causing Sophie to feel another wave of warmth in her cheeks. "Ready?"</p>
<p>"Uh… Yes, uhm... D-do you have the key card?"</p>
<p>"What, no pockets in yours?" Kate replied dryly, taking note of the skin-tight way Sophie's pants clung to her legs as she slipped the plastic card from her own as proof.</p>
<p>"Funny."</p>
<p>Kate smirked before slipping her hand onto Sophie's back. It was intended to be a light gesture to usher her to the door. Instead it nearly caused her to recoil in surprise when it landed, completely uninhibited, onto smooth skin. With it came an all-too familiar desire that surged through her which she quickly sidelined.</p>
<p>Kate chanced a glance and nearly sighed with relief. It wasn't that her entire back was completely exposed. That surely would have done Kate in. Instead it was only the lower back exposed, contrasting with the snug fit around her neck at the front and stopping just below the bra line. Even this did little to temper the disorienting desire flooding through her.</p>
<p>"Does Diane Moore know her daughter is dressed like this?" Kate smirked, falling back on humor to deflect from the other thoughts dancing at the edge of her mind.</p>
<p>"Diane Moore doesn't need to know everything," Sophie replied mischievously.</p>
<p>Kate's brain overloaded. Her only option was to gawk. So she did.</p>
<hr/>
<p>"Ms. Kane and guest…?" said a tux-clad mustachioed man with a clipboard. They had immediately been identified upon exiting the elevator onto the top floor.</p>
<p>"Yea, Sophie Moore," Kate answered with a practiced smile. Sophie glanced curiously between Kate and the gentleman, clearly inexperienced in the ways of rich people and their greeting habits.</p>
<p>"Very good. Apologies Ms. Moore, we didn't have your information on file. Ms. Kane, just one moment for your beverage."</p>
<p>"Beverage?" Sophie mouthed in confusion.</p>
<p>"Evan likes to take care of his guests. That includes collecting an uncomfortable amount of information on everyone for moments like this," Kate chuckled softly as a similarly dressed man arrived from a side room with a caramel fluid-filled low-ball. "I would hate to be one of his clients."</p>
<p>Kate accepted the glass with a quick thanks and the couple were ushered onto the terrace. The sun had set and the city-lights were on full display. There was the added intimacy of low-lit chandeliers seemingly floating above space.</p>
<p>"Do you think -"</p>
<p>"Real crystal? Definitely," Kate said, tracking Sophie's open-mouthed gaze to the overhead twinkling pieces.</p>
<p>The theme, if there was one, seemed to be… subdued?</p>
<p>Propped up around the terrace were easels adorned with abstract paintings. Some were simple patterns of boxes and primary colors while others were very clearly of objects painted in a more geometric form. At first glance they appeared entirely out in the open, but a small reflection highlighted that each piece was clad in a protective box. At the edges were two fully-stocked bars. Between were various seating arrangements. All around them people were milling about, chatting, laughing, and contemplating the different artworks. It wasn't as crowded as Sophie imagined, but perhaps that was the point.</p>
<p>"Well, he definitely outdid himself again," Kate said with a small whistle.</p>
<p>"Am I missing something?"</p>
<p>"These are all Mondrian paintings."</p>
<p>"Who?" Sophie scowled, suddenly feeling unprepared for her exposure to Gotham's elite.</p>
<p>"Piet Mondrian," Kate explained lightly, sliding her hand casually around Sophie's waist. "Modern painter from… well, actually I'm not sure. It was before World War II, I think. I don't actually much care for his later stuff," Kate said, pointing to one of the paintings of boxes and primary colors. "But his early studies in cubism were great."</p>
<p>"Who are you?" Sophie asked.</p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>"Are you some secret art guru?" Sophie pressed.</p>
<p>"Oh, hardly. But even Kate Kane is bound to remember a thing or two if she hangs out with me long enough," came a voice from behind them.</p>
<p>"Evan," Kate said, turning in surprise. He was decked out in his own version of a Mondrian painting: fitted black pants, a bright yellow button up covered by a fitted red blazer. The blue? His pocket square tucked neatly into place. His blonde hair was loose and wind-tousled from hours outside, and his skin was sun-tanned like he'd spent the last two weeks on a beach in the Mediterranean. This was particularly confounding given that Sophie knew Evan didn't make it a habit of leaving Gotham.</p>
<p>"Not bad. Mondrian's earliest works are dated to the early 1900s. He didn't get into cubism until after a 1911 exhibition in Amsterdam. The 'early stuff' Kate is referring to is that 1911 piece called <em>Gray Tree</em> which Kate has had her eye on for years."</p>
<p>A quick eye roll of exasperation neither confirmed nor denied this tidbit, and Sophie was about to prod her for clarification when Kate pivoted away from art.</p>
<p>"Evan, you remember Sophie," Kate said, reintroducing the two. "Soph, you've met Ev-"</p>
<p>"Oh my god, wait is this the same one?" Evan gaped, snapping out of his art dealer alter ego and registering Sophie's presence for the first time.</p>
<p>Sophie felt the grip around her waist tighten.</p>
<p>"Yes," Kate replied coldly.</p>
<p>"And you two… are <em>together</em>-together or just like…?" The raised eyebrow of insinuation was enough to make the rest of his question clear.</p>
<p>If glares could kill, Evan Blake would have been a pile of ash. But instead of backing down, Evan's smirk seemed to grow. Sophie wasn't sure if it was because Evan was vindictive or just enjoyed instigating. She couldn't help but imagine Riley Thomas and Evan Blake would make quite the pairing.</p>
<p>She felt Kate's hand twitch in frustration.</p>
<p>"Together-together," Sophie inserted lightly.</p>
<p>"Oh my," Evan openly gawked. "My, my, my. Katie Kane, you went off to school and grew up without me. I'm hurt."</p>
<p>"We all know you'll never really grow up, Evan," Kate shot back, and a playful smirk graced Evan's lips.</p>
<p>"What can I say. Too many things to see and people to do," Evan shrugged. Sophie felt Kate's grip loosen, and suddenly the tension was gone.</p>
<p>"Don't you mean people to see and things to-"</p>
<p>"He doesn't," Kate interrupted.</p>
<p>"I don't," Evan grinned wider, allowing a small chuckle of amusement past his lips. "I see Kate has her usual. What are you drinking tonight Ms. Sophie?"</p>
<p>"Oh, I-"</p>
<p>"Come, we're getting you something," Evan said, beckoning her over with an extended arm. "No, Kate, you stay. I want Sophia here all to myself," he said when they both moved to join him.</p>
<p>Kate was doing a poor job of containing the uncertainty on her face. She glanced protectively between the two. Sophie offered a small smile of reassurance before she felt the release of Kate's hand from her waist.</p>
<p>"Are you just visiting?" Evan asked when they'd gotten out of Kate's earshot.</p>
<p>"No, I, uh, I've got an internship in the city."</p>
<p>"Where?" Evan asked casually. For as antagonizing as he was around Kate, his questions were surprisingly… normal.</p>
<p>"Wayne Tech?" Sophie said. She wasn't sure why she sounded unsure in her delivery, and immediately cursed herself as Evan appraised her with an amused grin.</p>
<p>"So you two have been here <em>all</em> summer and this is the first I've seen you," he pouted. Before Sophie could articulate an attempted apology he continued: "Tell me, when did you two get back together?"</p>
<p>Sophie didn't know what she expected, but there were two things that caught her off-guard by this: the first was that Evan knew Kate and her had broken up at all; the second was that there wasn't an ounce of judgement in his voice.</p>
<p>"April," Sophie replied automatically, unsure how much to disclose.</p>
<p>"That brat. Doesn't tell me anything," Evan scowled, waving over the bartender. "One vodka, neat and…?"</p>
<p>"Uh…"</p>
<p>"What do you normally drink?" Evan asked, the ghost of a smirk playing across his face.</p>
<p>"I've had the whisky Kate drinks and… beer?"</p>
<p>"She'll have the Malbec," Evan said to the bartender.</p>
<p>"I don't know what that is," Sophie said hesitantly.</p>
<p>"It's a French red. Now then, how are you two?</p>
<p>Sophie eyed him quizzically. "Good. We're staying at Jacob and Catherine's place for the summer while they're over in Italy."</p>
<p>"Curious. I've never known Kate to miss out on an international opportunity," Evan hummed.</p>
<p>"Uh, yea… it was a surprise. I hear you're not much for it," Sophie said, trying to pivot the conversation away from her and Kate's relationship.</p>
<p>"And Kate?" Evan asked, not taking the bait.</p>
<p>"Oh, uh, she's good? Y-you could just ask her…" Sophie answered, stammering in confusion. She glanced across the room to where Kate was half-engaged in another conversation. She assumed it was only half because her eyes were wholly on Sophie and Evan. She shot her a quick smile and saw Kate visibly relax.</p>
<p>"She deflects too much," Evan explained, taking the vodka placed before him and missing Sophie and Kate's exchange.</p>
<p>"She has that way about her," Sophie agreed, taking the wine glass being offered to her.</p>
<p>"She likes you."</p>
<p>Sophie blinked. "Oh. I… I like her too."</p>
<p>Evan sighed into a sip of his drink.</p>
<p>"No, sweetie, I'm not so sure you understand."</p>
<p>"That is… probably accurate," Sophie muttered. It was already a surprise that he knew what he knew. His vague insinuations weren't helping her catch up.</p>
<p>"What I mean is this: our Kate Kane does not 'like' easily. In the ten years I've known her nothing has broken through that girl's fortress. Until you."</p>
<p>Sophie swallowed, unsure how to respond, so she didn't.</p>
<p>"You understand she is hopelessly in love with you, right? So hopelessly, in fact, that no one is ever going to be able to put all of <em>that</em>," Evan said, gesturing toward Kate, "back together when you break her heart again."</p>
<p>"I-I'm not going to," Sophie jumped in, her eyes wide with surprise at the sudden accusation. "I don't want to."</p>
<p>"Not going to and not wanting to are two very different things, Sophia. You didn't mean to do it the first time either, I'm sure," he said, taking another quick sip.</p>
<p>"I… no."</p>
<p>"No," Evan agreed, gesturing at the bartender for another as he tossed the rest of his drink back. "I like you, Sophie."</p>
<p>Sophie's eyes narrowed skeptically, earning a small chuckle from Evan.</p>
<p>"Yes, fine, that's a lie. I actually know nothing about you, really. But I like you because Kate likes you."</p>
<p>Sophie nodded, not really sure what to make of anything.</p>
<p>"The thing is, I'll always like Kate more. I love her like a bratty step-sister. And she's the one I'll be there for again if this goes south. I didn't much care for it the first time; that girl carries dark in her better than the devil himself." A visible shudder shook Evan's shoulders. Whether it was for show or not Sophie wasn't sure. "The last time she hit that low was… well, I'm sure you know."</p>
<p>Sophie didn't know, but she could guess, and that guess was like a punch to the gut.</p>
<p>"Oh, honey, no, no, don't take me too seriously," he said, seeing the concern contorted on her face. "I've been drinking since six. This is a party - we're supposed to be having fun," Evan said, waving his hands in a gesture befitting his own party. "I just want you to know that if you ever, and I mean <em>ever</em> hurt her again, you'll have more than your own regret to deal with."</p>
<p>"I wouldn't… understood," Sophie choked out. She didn't know what else to say. Through it all Evan's face remained light and smiling; practiced presentation, Sophie imagined. She was both terrified and swimming with gratitude. Her memory of Evan Blake was that of an instigator, enjoying the discomfort his words brought to a conversation. While that hadn't necessarily changed, she also saw a new layer: one where he cared for Kate - in his own way - and that meant everything, even if it was displayed as a veiled threat.</p>
<p>"How's it going over here?"</p>
<p>The pull of Kate's hand around Sophie's waist had returned. It didn't disappear Evan's words, but it provided an unexpected comfort.</p>
<p>"Can I steal my girlfriend back now, or are you still gabbing nonsensically at her?" Kate continued, her face mirroring the practiced smile on Evan's face.</p>
<p>"It's my party, remember? I get first dibs on all the most fabulous guests," Evan smirked, returning to his usual self.</p>
<p>Sophie kept her eyes on the red wine as Evan and Kate shared a few words that didn't matter. She nodded and smiled as Evan parted for some unfamiliar face, leaving the two alone.</p>
<p>"Hey," Kate whispered, her lips close to Sophie. "You ok?"</p>
<p>"I love you."</p>
<p>If Kate was surprised, she didn't show it. "I love you too," she replied, her voice light but with a trace of question in it.</p>
<p>"No, I… Kate, I love you. I don't ever want to not love you."</p>
<p>Kate watched a tear threaten Sophie's eyeliner. She didn't know what spurred this, but she was sure Evan had gotten up to no good again.</p>
<p>"Deal," Kate replied with a smirk.</p>
<p>"What?" Sophie asked, blinking the moisture away.</p>
<p>"That's a hell of an offer, Sophie Moore. You've got yourself a deal."</p>
<p>"I… really?"</p>
<p>"Really."</p>
<p>The next three hours flew. Sophie was introduced to more people than she would ever remember. Conversation and drinks flowed freely, and the crowd slowly got rowdier with relaxed energy. Curiously Sophie noticed Kate remained clutching the same, unfinished drink as they hopped from conversation to conversation. Sips were reserved, and they seemed to be used to hide frustration or nerves.</p>
<p>Somewhere during the first hour they ran into Molly and Rachel, separately at first then in a larger group. Kate's fingers subconsciously found their way onto Sophie's back, sliding over the smooth skin and curling under the fabric to her waist. The conversations were harmless, but that didn't temper the guarded way Kate seemed to be approaching the entire night.</p>
<p>It was during the second hour that Sophie finally saw Kate visibly relax. She had suggested they check out the art, and Kate blossomed out of her controlled mood. She spouted bits of knowledge she recalled from Evan waxing poetic about the art before eventually giving up entirely and weaving fiction into the tour:</p>
<p>"He painted this one on a train; nearly got himself kicked off for spilling a palette of cerulean blue on a passenger."</p>
<p>"Oh?" Sophie smirked.</p>
<p>"Mhm," Kate continued, her face perfectly composed as she bluffed her way through the latest explanation. "It's why the amount of blue is so subdued."</p>
<p>"And what about this one?" Sophie asked, pointing to the next one.</p>
<p>"Oh, that one? He did it after winning a game of high stakes checkers."</p>
<p>"I see. That explains the controlled grid," Sophie added.</p>
<p>"See? You're a natural," Kate smiled.</p>
<p>A flip switched after this, and they returned to the crowd more relaxed than the couple had been all day. Kate finished her drink, and Sophie fetched them both another: Scotch for Kate, malbec for her. When she returned, Kate was visibly glowing, partaking in conversations with the casualness she always had for social gatherings. It made Sophie relax.</p>
<p>Well, almost.</p>
<p>Kate's hand slipped around Sophie's waist again. It had become a habit throughout the night for Kate. It had become a distraction for Sophie.</p>
<p>The problem was that, where Kate found comfort, Sophie felt a small fire. It had begun casually enough: Kate's fingers skimming lightly over her exposed skin. It served as a gentle reminder that Kate was near, supportive, close by. The way Kate touched her became a silent form of communication. Sophie knew when Kate was frustrated, happy, or bored by the way her grip tightened, relaxed, or played against her skin.</p>
<p>But as the night progressed and Kate relaxed, the touches stopped. These absences sent a craving through Sophie for physical contact. When the fingers did appear, it became a desire for more. There was a frustration building in her that eroded her ability to focus on the conversations, the banter, the laughter.</p>
<p>She felt a need to kiss Kate. Her nerves kept her from doing it for most of the night. Until, that is, the desire outweighed those nerves. Then she did. She was still nervous. It was quick. It was soft. Kate smiled in surprise. It wasn't enough. She kissed her again. It only stoked the fire. It still wasn't enough.</p>
<p>She watched Kate eye her curiously before a voice stole her attention back to the conversation. Sophie tried to hear the words Mike or Mark or… Martin? She scowled. Yes, Martin. She listened to his dull commentary about… bridges? Kate looked interested. Sophie wasn't. How could she be when Kate's fingers were dancing over her skin? Kate offered a well-timed laugh. Sophie didn't hear a joke. She didn't hear a joke because she wasn't actually listening. She smiled anyway.</p>
<p>She waited for the conversation to end, for Martin to excuse himself to get another drink. He asked if either needed a refill. Kate said no. Both of their glasses were still full. He departed.</p>
<p>And then they were alone. That wasn't true. They were surrounded by a hundred people. Kate was saying something to her, but she didn't hear. She wanted them to be alone.</p>
<p>"Hey," Sophie whispered suddenly in Kate's ear. "Do you wanna get out of here?"</p>
<p>Sophie watched Kate do a double take, her smile from seconds before falling.</p>
<p>"Wh-?" she asked confusedly. "Is everything ok?"</p>
<p>"Yes," Sophie lied. She didn't know how to say it. She didn't know how to articulate this need building inside her.</p>
<p>"Oh, uh, ok… but it's not even eleven, and Evan has that whole light and fireworks thing rigged up for midnight and we… we…" Kate trailed off, her head tilting as she scrutinized the look on Sophie's face.</p>
<p>"Are- you mean-?" Kate began but stopped. The question didn't need finishing. The words weren't required for Sophie's message to ring loud and clear.</p>
<p>"Y-yea," Kate stumbled. "Of cour- let's, yea we… we should get our jackets."</p>
<p>"We didn't bring jackets," Sophie replied evenly, trying to conceal the fire growing inside of her.</p>
<p>"Uh, right, yea, we-we should-"</p>
<p>Sophie placed her hand on Kate's arm. The gesture was simple, yet Kate felt her entire body erupt with warmth. "I'll take this," she said softly, grabbing Kate's unfinished drink from her fingers, "you say goodbye to Evan, and I'll meet you at the elevators."</p>
<p>Kate nodded dumbly, barely registering her surroundings against the pulsing in her head. She watched Sophie walk away from her without another word. The white noise of the music and idle chatter all but disappeared as she gawked unabashedly at her girlfriend. It took a waiter bumping into her to shake herself from the shock. It took another moment to shake herself into action, a strange terror and excitement building. She'd spent so long trying to stay firmly on her side of the line until Sophie was ready. And, unless she misread the look in Sophie's eyes, that 'until' was right now.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>It's a double chapter weekend. Part 2 of 2;</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p>Kate didn't remember the conversation that followed as she said her quick goodbyes to Evan or the way she negotiated attempts to grab her attention from passersby and old acquaintances. All she remembered was the growing anticipation and disorientation that guided her through the crowd back toward the desolate hall that would take her to the bank of elevators and her waiting girlfriend.</p>
<p>After what felt like far too long she peeled herself away, she rounded the corner and saw Sophie leaning casually against the wall next to an open elevator. She was just as stunning and jaw-dropping as she had been minutes earlier. She stalled for a moment, watching Sophie bring Kate's unfinished whisky to her lips and take a casual sip as she waited for Kate to join her. She glanced over and caught sight of Kate and offered a quick smile. It was enough to make Kate practically melt with anticipation.</p>
<p>The elevator ride could not have been more nerve wracking. The moment the doors closed on the couple Sophie's lips and hands were on Kate. There was an unexpected energy and desire behind the way Sophie's fingers slid around Kate's waist. Maybe that desire had been there all along and Kate was only now just letting herself see it, but in either case, she couldn't quite relax into it. She'd been with… a fair number of women. It wasn't necessarily a secret that Kate had been explorative before she met Sophie, but never once had she been hesitant or felt the reservations she did now. For as much as she'd built this moment up in her mind, the last thing she wanted was to ruin it.</p>
<p>"Is this ok?" Sophie asked, pulling away from Kate. She may not have known exactly what was cooking in Kate's brain, but she knew her well enough to know her touch was reserved and her mind was not wholly in the moment. "If it's not, we-we can go back. We can-"</p>
<p>"What? No, no, I…" Kate faltered, wanting to reassure Sophie that this was exactly what she wanted. This may be all she'd ever wanted. And more than anything, she wanted Sophie to know that. She had spent months dreaming about this moment. She wanted everything about this moment to be perfect.</p>
<p>"Kate, I..." Sophie said softly, her voice trembling with her own nerves. It was a hesitant excitement. "I love you, and I… I want this."</p>
<p>The elevator slowed to a stop and Kate felt the weight of the moment hit her. She wanted this, too. She nodded, mute from a wave of anxiety and arousal. Sophie's hand found hers and gave her a small squeeze.</p>
<p>"Cool," Sophie said softly, and Kate felt the edges of her lips curve upward. She couldn't imagine loving this woman anymore than she already did, yet somehow she'd just hit a new level.</p>
<p>The steps of anticipation from the elevator down the hall and to the door were a blur. Kate felt the plastic card between her trembling fingers as she slotted it into the holder. It was her one anchor to reality; everything else felt like a dream.</p>
<p>The door opened, casting the hall's fluorescent light into the dimly lit space. Kate's eyes didn't need to adjust because she already wasn't seeing clearly. They entered. Kate heard the click of the door behind her. A lamp left on next to the bed was the lone illumination. Nothing else caught her attention because her eyes were solely on Sophie and the soft shadows cast by the lone bulb.</p>
<p>Kate's heart was racing. Her face felt flush. Her brain might as well have been lobotomized for how effectively it formulated thoughts. Fortunately for her meager courage, Sophie was the first to react. Her hands slid around Kate as their lips reconnected. It was only then that Kate felt the first part of her surrender to the excitement of the moment.</p>
<p>A minute was lost to this. It was a minute of transition where Kate's anxiety faded and her desires crept to the surface. Her hands grew impatient, wanting more of Sophie's skin under them.</p>
<p>"Is this ok?" Kate asked against Sophie's lips, her fingers playing at the edges of Sophie's shirt. The words felt strange. They lived together. They'd worked out together. Kate had experienced an underdressed Sophie Moore on more occasions than she could recall, but it was a permission she still wanted. A small nod of approval was all it took for Kate's hands to glide the top up her torso, bunching the fabric as she went before finally slipping it over Sophie's head and discarding it behind her.</p>
<p>"You are," she began, her voice heavy with want and her hands trembling a fraction of an inch over the newly exposed skin. "You are just so-"</p>
<p>Sophie cut Kate off with her lips, sending any of Kate's remaining functioning brain cells into chaos. Kate had tasted Sophie's lips more times than she could count. Every time felt like the first, and tonight was no different. The electricity that followed swept through Kate's body and, for the first time, she didn't push it down. She let the arousal build inside her as she felt Sophie's hands pull at her with a similarly impatient eagerness.</p>
<p>Kate's lips trailed down Sophie's jawline before wandering a path down her neck to her shoulder. Her hands gripped lightly against Sophie's skin, revelling in the moment. Kate let her left hand slide up to Sophie's bra, cautiously cupping her breast. When her lips felt Sophie's soft moan vibrate through her throat, she took it as permission to slide her thumb over the fabric. This elicited another soft moan and Kate found herself fighting not to unclasp it entirely and expose the soft, tender skin beneath.</p>
<p>For as much as Kate wanted to tear every piece of fabric away, the last thing she wanted was to rush this moment.</p>
<p>This didn't last long as Sophie's hand brought Kate's lips back to hers, and Kate felt the tug of Sophie's hands pulling Kate closer. There was a longing to the way Sophie kissed Kate that sent her mind reeling with heated want. Her bottom lip was captured between Sophie's teeth, and Kate found herself pressing Sophie back until the wall met her, pinning her to it with her own body.</p>
<p>Sophie's hands clutched at Kate's shirt, her fingers slipping beneath and running up her back, sending a chill across Kate's skin before they slid back down to Kate's waist. They remained there, nervously playing at the hem of the shirt.</p>
<p>Kate pulled back from Sophie, her breath heavy, and her eyes trained on the brown orbs in front of her. "If this… Soph, we can stop-"</p>
<p>"No," Sophie said simply, her hands catching up with the moment as she mimicked Kate's actions from earlier and pulled the shirt fabric up and over Kate's head. "I don't want to stop."</p>
<p>A smile of relief and pride broke over Kate's face before a shudder from Sophie's hands gripping at Kate's newly exposed skin sent her right back toward Sophie's lips.</p>
<p>This back and forth ultimately led them blindly toward the bed. Kate fell first, and Sophie immediately followed. She lowered herself down, recapturing her lips as Kate's hands found their way back to Sophie. Her fingers wandered, playing at the edges of Sophie's bra before they located the clasp in the back. She paused, letting a moment pass in silent communication before she released the clasp, letting the straps fall. Sophie's breasts fell, exposed and pressed themselves against Kate, renewing the hunger already clawing its way to the surface.</p>
<p>Kate's hands gripped at Sophie's side and, in one single move, rolled, placing herself above Sophie. A small sound of surprise vibrated against Kate's lips, and she felt a smirk of satisfaction at how quickly Sophie recovered. It was only now that Kate felt her confidence return. The uncertainty and hesitation from earlier paled in comparison to her need to touch, to taste Sophie.</p>
<p>Kate's fingers slid to the skin-tight pants. To her surprise, Sophie's hand slipped past to the fastener first. Kate pulled back, a playful smirk appraising her girlfriend. A blush warmed Sophie's cheeks.</p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>"I love you," Kate grinned, offering a quick kiss before crawling backwards to stand at the edge of the bed. Before Sophie could ask, her intentions became clear: Kate's fingers hooked at the edges of Sophie's pants, making quick work by sliding them down Sophie's legs. She hungrily eyed her girlfriend, taking her slow, patient time tossing the pants aside before removing her own.</p>
<p>The uncertainty of the moment began to fade as Kate returned to the bed. Her warmth and presence was a comfort in this new form of intimacy. It wasn't that Sophie was afraid; it was that she was nervous about this unknown, and Kate seemed to understand that. At each step she offered a quick smile or soft words of reassurance. Each of these took away the part of Sophie that was caught up in her head and brought her back to the moment; to each touch.</p>
<p>It was only when Kate was certain Sophie's internal whispers of hesitation were gone that she slipped her hand between Sophie's legs. Her touch slipped over Sophie's panties and onto the wetted fabric. A soft moan of unexpected pleasure filled the room.</p>
<p>"Sophie Moore," Kate muttered into Sophie's ear, sending a chill down her spine. "What am I going to do with you?"</p>
<p>Sophie didn't answer. She didn't know how. She was lost to the light strokes that were sending her heart-rate higher; that were catching her breath in her throat; that were sending her hips thrusting for more.</p>
<p>That's when Kate's hand slipped past the fabric.</p>
<p>Sophie inhaled sharply as she felt Kate's finger fill her. Kate's lips suppressed another moan caught in Sophie's throat. Her hands gripped at Kate. It was a feeling Sophie never knew she needed.</p>
<p>It was also a feeling that ended too soon. Her confusion was unable to break past Kate's lips, but she quickly understood when she felt Kate's fingers curl onto the remaining fabric and slip it down her legs. Kate broke away to pull them free, leaving Sophie completely exposed and aching to be touched. It wasn't a sensation she'd ever experienced, and that only made her crave it more.</p>
<p>Kate leaned down and recaptured Sophie's lips in a soft kiss before slowly tracing a path down her body. She paused at Sophie's breast, running a tongue over the hardened nipple which elicited another surprise moan from Sophie's lips. Kate lingered for a moment, the arousal of hearing Sophie gripped with pleasure motivating her fingers to lightly tease Sophie's other nipple, pinching and rolling it between her forefinger and thumb.</p>
<p>Just when Sophie didn't think the sensations could build, she felt Kate's other hand return between her legs and a finger slide its way inside her. Kate felt Sophie inhale sharply as her body arched in response, and she quickly repeated the gesture with a second finger. It was this that resulted in the first uncontrolled groan of pleasure, and it was music to Kate's ears.</p>
<p>When Sophie's breath hitched uncontrollably, Kate took the opportunity to continue her path down Sophie's body, letting her lips and tongue leave a slow, wet trail as her fingers developed a constant rhythm that sent Sophie's hips subconsciously grinding against her.</p>
<p>"Wait, no," Sophie said, ripped from the moment by a self-conscious, unspoken fear. "Y-you don't have to-"</p>
<p>"Soph," Kate began, climbing back to meet Sophie's gaze and letting her free hand fall reassuringly against Sophie's cheek. "I have spent the past two years wanting to taste you," Kate said, her voice dripping with want. "Let me."</p>
<p>She waited for the words and silent question to land, and Sophie felt a surge of arousal she'd never known before. She nodded back, her voice lost as she absorbed the trust and love held in Kate's gaze.</p>
<p>Kate then leaned in and brushed her lips softly against Sophie's, giving her a moment to step away from her worry and surrender to the warmth of Kate's touch. She fell quickly, free-falling into the pleasure radiating down her body. There was a growing anticipation as Kate retraced her path and burned a trail across Sophie's skin and down her body. All reservations from earlier were suspended by the simmering desire building toward release.</p>
<p>Her breath hitched as Kate's lips brushed the inside of her thigh, slowly acquainting herself to every inch of uncovered skin. A fresh shiver of anticipation rolled through Sophie's body. It was at that moment Kate's tongue lost its patience, replacing where her thumb had been pressing teasingly, and Sophie's world exploded into sensations she didn't know existed. Her hips thrust up in uncontrollable want only to feel the resistance of Kate's hands already expertly placed to grip at her thighs.</p>
<p>Kate took her time, teasing out what made Sophie tick. It was only after a small whimper escaped Sophie's lips that Kate's curiosity turned into intention. She slipped her fingers back inside Sophie, and another soft moan was all the inspiration Kate needed.</p>
<p>Sophie felt every second grow toward some unknown. It was unfamiliar. Kate's name slipped past her lips. Once. Then twice. The pleasure built. It reached for every nerve in her body. She moaned. Then thrust. She didn't want it to stop. Her fingers found Kate's head. She clutched at her hair. Kate didn't stop. Everything expanded. It contracted. Sophie didn't understand, and she didn't want to understand. She just wanted to feel.</p>
<p>And she did. Moments later a wave pulsed through her and everything that had been building crashed back into her. She didn't remember moaning. She didn't remember thrusting. She wouldn't have remembered her name. All she remembered was the neverending feeling of release.</p>
<p>Sophie felt her body come back to earth and her lungs gulp down one deep breath after another. Reality returned: first the dim of the lights, then the softness of the bed, then the warmth of Kate. She felt her shift from between her legs, creating an absence that had filled her moments before. She blinked up. Kate offered a mischievous smirk, her lips glistening and her unruly hair sticking out from every which way.</p>
<p>Before either of them could say anything, Sophie pulled Kate to her lips. She happily obliged, letting Sophie's tongue taste herself as she plunged into a breathlessly passionate kiss. Kate grinned as her chest heaved for air when Sophie pulled away and fell back onto the mattress.</p>
<p>"Why have we never done this before?" Sophie asked, curling around Kate who clambered to join her.</p>
<p>"Does that mean we can do it again?" Kate chuckled, pressing her lips to Sophie's temple.</p>
<p>"I… that was…" Sophie began, her chest still rising and falling with excitement. She trailed off, at a loss for words. "Yes."</p>
<p>She wanted to be more articulate. She wanted Kate to know of the mind-shattering sensations that sent her heart racing and her lungs heaving, and her body curling into tingling ecstasy, but she couldn't find the words.</p>
<p>Maybe it was that she was still coming down from her high, or maybe it was because the reservations she'd carried for months were melting away, or maybe it was that an all encompassing happiness surged through her; whatever the reason, the only thing Sophie wanted was Kate's nearness. She wanted the heat of Kate on her; the smooth of her skin against her; the long, uninterrupted feel of her body under her touch.</p>
<p>"Will you show me?"</p>
<p>Sophie's eyes were fixed on Kate's. They were filled with a nervous curiosity. A lingering want simmered at the surface as she leaned in and lightly captured Sophie's lips in hers.</p>
<p>"Yes," Kate whispered when she pulled away. "But not tonight."</p>
<p>The eager nervousness from a moment earlier was washed away with unexpected disappointment. Instead of nervous curiosity they were filled with confused rejection.</p>
<p>"Is… is it because-?"</p>
<p>"No, no," Kate answered quickly, recognizing the concern in Sophie's voice. "It's not - it has nothing to do with that."</p>
<p>"But then… why not?"</p>
<p>"Because tonight is about you," Kate answered softly. She hovered over Sophie's lips before a magnetic pull drew them together.</p>
<p>Yes, the spoils of the night fed her carnal cravings, and yes, she was one word away from tapping back into that hunger. She was ready to spend every minute of the rest of her life teasing out the ways Sophie hummed her name, thrusted in want, and melted into her mouth. She wanted all of that and more. But if Kate could have packaged all the love she felt for Sophie Moore into a single gesture, it would have been in that kiss.</p>
<p>It was a kiss Sophie wasn't expecting. Her words and her breath were taken from her, but it quickly affirmed one thought:</p>
<p>"Then show me," Sophie whispered.</p>
<p>Kate blinked back, prepared to say no again. Then she looked into Sophie's eyes. They glowed bright in the low lighting. Kate had often gotten lost in the deep brown orbs. She knew where tiny flecks of gold were sprinkled in the sea of warmth and how that ocean became darker at the edges. She knew how they could emote on a scale greater than Sophie's expressions. But that wasn't what Kate got lost in. It wasn't even the nerves and fear glistening on the surface. It was the courage and desire sitting beneath all of that.</p>
<p>"Ok."</p>
<p>It was messy. It was awkward. It was a wrong turn. It was too much. Then it was too little. It was another wrong turn. It wasn't working. It was frustrating. It was a failure.</p>
<p>But it was also a reassurance. It was a soft kiss. It was a guiding hand. It was a whisper of encouragement. It was a soft touch. It was a loving smile.</p>
<p>It was nothing like Sophie imagined. It was a complete and utter disaster. Inside of that though, it was also complete and utter perfection.</p>
<p>Defeat was admitted, and with it, Sophie expected the mood to be ruined and the night to end prematurely. She was on the cusp of an apology when Kate's lips interrupted her. It took a light touch and a well-placed stroke to realize Kate had much different plans. That's when Kate's agenda took priority and any sense of time disappeared. Sophie had a faint recollection of hearing the whistles, crackles, and explosions from the fireworks display happening out the window, but even that was a haze.</p>
<p>When the final crest had faded they fell onto the bed, naked, limb-tangled, and happily exhausted. It was new but not unfamiliar, Sophie realized. It was a kind of intimacy that she'd never experienced, yet it seemed completely natural with Kate at her side.</p>
<p>Her fingers found the edges of the duvet, and she pulled it over their entwined forms. Kate's head fell on her shoulder, and her arms slipped under the cloth to wrap around Sophie's waist. A smile skirted past her happy exhaustion as she brought her own arm around Kate.</p>
<p>A chill crawled down Kate's back as Sophie's fingers danced lightly over her skin. It wasn't anything new: Sophie had picked up the habit when they'd first started dating, but the lack of fabric separating the pads of her fingers from Kate's skin suddenly made the experience craveworthy. They skimmed across her shoulder and back in a series of random patterns before falling idly over her side, teasing at her ribcage and over the permanent ink that marked her skin.</p>
<p>A smile of contentment crept across Kate's lips, laying in the bliss of the moment. There was still a part of her hanging in disbelief. Disbelief that she could want someone in her life. That she could <em>need</em> that someone. Disbelief that she could be happy - truly happy. Disbelief that, after everything, that person wanted her just the same. Disbelief that she deserved any of it.</p>
<p>She listened to Sophie's heartbeat and blinked back an unfamiliar tear from falling.</p>
<p>"It's beautiful," she heard Sophie mutter. It pulled Kate out of her thoughts and back to the woman she clung to like a lifeline.</p>
<p>"What is?"</p>
<p>"<em>You visit me inside the apple; together we can hear the knife; paring around and around us, carefully...</em>"</p>
<p>"-<em>so the peel won't tear</em>," Kate finished. She felt a warmth find her cheeks. "When did you find it?"</p>
<p>"Last night," Sophie replied simply, her fingers tracing the Hebrew characters that made up the poem. "It suits you."</p>
<p>The tear she'd been holding in finally broke through. Kate felt the unfamiliar moisture roll down her face only for it to be followed by another. It remained a pair until a third tear escaped from her other eye and quietly fell onto Sophie's skin.</p>
<p>Kate felt a tinge of frustration at the broken dam. She slipped her hand free from Sophie's waist to wipe them clear only to be intercepted. She felt the soft touch of Sophie's thumb wipe her cheek dry. This small gesture only sent another tear falling, and with it a rush of fear. It was a fear of just how in love she was. It was a fear that, without Sophie in her life, she'd be utterly broken. It was a crushing weight.</p>
<p>Sophie remained silent through it all. It was a patient response. There was never any pressure from Sophie to speak. She simply created a space to exist and be. She simply provided an ever-present support to lean on. Her reactions were automatic and genuine; one hand brushed away each tear as it fell while the other idly crafted figure eights onto Kate's skin. Minutes passed like this. A wave of emotion would send another tear down her cheek followed by a moment of calm.</p>
<p>"I love you," Kate whispered as the final wave faded. "I love you so much that sometimes it hurts."</p>
<p>A moment passed.</p>
<p>"I guess that means I'm winning," Sophie murmured back.</p>
<p>"How?"</p>
<p>"Because for me it always hurts," she said simply, pulling Kate tighter to her.</p>
<p>Yes, it was a crushing weight. But, between the two of them, it suddenly didn't feel too heavy to bear.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This chapter has been rewrite after rewrite in the making. The original intent was for some version of it to be posted four months ago (in real time, not story time). I was on the cusp of uploading the final chapters for the Fall Term in December when I took a different plot direction, deleted a bunch of stuff, and shelved this for a future moment. Personally I'm glad for the delay because 'reasons'.</p>
<p>But that's not really the point of this second note.</p>
<p>The point is that I wanted to take a moment and talk about poetry and Kate's tattoo. I first came across Yehuda Amichai from a Kate Kane/Diana fic I read a while back by swindalynn (side note: I cannot say enough amazing things about this series. If you're looking for an amazing Kate Kane fic, this will absolutely scratch that itch. It's called Red Wonder, and it is heart-wrenchingly beautiful). After reading some of Amichai's work I immediately knew I wanted to incorporate one of his pieces into a tattoo for Kate. The problem was that I wasn't super sure which one or when to incorporate it into the story.</p>
<p>Enter Kate and Sophie's break-up at the end of fall term. It felt like the perfect moment to introduce this into the story, and Inside the Apple (the full piece is below) felt like the most fitting poem for the moment.</p>
<p>Poetry and I are not friends. I was miserable at lit in school, and I never understood how so many nuances and so much meaning could be tied to a few short lines. But this poem? This poem gutted me. I'm sure I've interpreted it all wrong, but for me it evokes a feeling of finding purity and truth in companionship in the midst of isolation and uncertainty.</p>
<p>It felt perfect for Kate. Her heart had just been broken, and she was sitting with the feeling of rejection and being unworthy of love after giving in to the one thing she'd rejected for years: vulnerability. We are, for better or worse, creatures of habit, and I imagined an echo of the trauma she felt when Beth and her mom died reappeared in this moment: 1. she saw it as her fault and 2. there was nothing she could do to fix it. This last bit really hones in this version of Kate's essence and being: the need to fix.</p>
<p>I see Kate dealing with this on two levels: there's the outer expression of anger, and then there's the inner feeling of isolation. The anger is defensive to hide the want - the need - for companionship. This is a new feeling for Kate; the last time she let herself be vulnerable she was thirteen. Because she doesn't know how to articulate this she turns to the comfort of what she knows: Gabi's book of poetry. I half imagine that Kate clung to her mother's copy as a child, her fingers tracing the notes in the margin, and it was in the midst of her latest heartache that she returned to it.</p>
<p>From there she finds and is drawn to Inside the Apple because it represents that desperate want for something (someone) to be with her, and now it sits as a permanent reminder.</p>
<p>Inside the Apple, Yehuda Amichai</p>
<p>You visit me inside the apple.<br/>Together we can hear the knife<br/>paring around and around us, carefully,<br/>so the peel won't tear.</p>
<p>You speak to me. I trust your voice<br/>because it has lumps of hard pain in it<br/>the way real honey<br/>has lumps of wax from the honeycomb.</p>
<p>I touch your lips with my fingers:<br/>that too is a prophetic gesture.<br/>And your lips are red, the way a burnt field<br/>is black.</p>
<p>It's all true.<br/>You visit me inside the apple<br/>and you'll stay with me inside the apple<br/>until the knife finishes its work.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kate let her fingers glide over the uninterrupted lengths of Sophie's skin, enamoured by the smoothness of it. She heard a small sigh as the touch roused Sophie from her sleep.</p>
<p>"We're going to miss the train."</p>
<p>"I don't care," Kate murmured, her fingers dancing around her uninterrupted access to Sophie's skin. Her hand settled onto Sophie's breast, cupping it lightly.</p>
<p>"There's going to be a fee to change tickets," Sophie continued through the blur of sleep, trying to resist the distracting sensations Kate's dance was causing, her fingers now rolling and squeezing Sophie's quickly hardening nipple.</p>
<p>"I'll pay it," Kate continued, her lips tracing their way along Sophie's shoulder.</p>
<p>"And your Grandmother," Sophie tried to argue, the fog of arousal making it harder by the second.</p>
<p>"What about her?" Kate asked, her hands undistracted from their mission.</p>
<p>"She… we have to be there by noon."</p>
<p>"She'll understand," Kate said, her hand now sliding down Sophie's stomach.</p>
<p>"Kate, I don't… don't th…</p>
<p>"What's that?" Kate smirked into Sophie's skin as her fingers teased toward her target.</p>
<p>"I don't think… K… Kate."</p>
<p>"Say again?"</p>
<p>"D… I don't…"</p>
<p>"Can't hear you."</p>
<p>"Don't… Kate…"</p>
<p>"Hm?"</p>
<p>"Don't stop."</p>
<p>"Yes, ma'am."</p>
<hr/>
<p>"We are so late," Sophie muttered again as they trekked the remaining steps to the front door.</p>
<p>"Worth it," Kate grinned back. "I've never heard you moan like that."</p>
<p>"Behave," Sophie admonished as Kate lifted her hand to knock. Before her knuckles could rap against the ancient, solid oak door, it creaked open. If it had been the middle of the night in late October and they were eight year olds dressed as their favorite caricatures Sophie might have been terrified out of her mind at the imagined ghoul hiding in the depths beyond. Instead, it was the middle of summer, she was clad in a bright yellow sundress, and the door accelerated open only to be stopped by the face of a short elderly woman dressed for Easter Sunday and adorned with an impish smile.</p>
<p>"You're late!" she cackled, pointing a tiny finger up at Kate's nose.</p>
<p>"Only barely!" Kate said, lifting her hands in surrender.</p>
<p>"Two hours? Hm?"</p>
<p>"We missed the train and- and we were… it… I-I was-"</p>
<p>"Oh, enough with your bullshitting; I know what you two were up to," the woman waved off with a snicker. "You've got that glow. Come in, come in," she beckoned.</p>
<p>Sophie ducked her head to hide the blush of her cheeks but was interrupted by the tiny woman latching herself around her waist.</p>
<p>"And you must be Sophie!"</p>
<p>"Sophie, Grandma Kane," Kate said, making belated introductions.</p>
<p>"My god, how ever did Kate snag you," Grandma Kane gasped, pulling back so Sophie stood at arm's length from her. She surveyed Sophie up and down, her hands never leaving Sophie's waist, all the while sending her cheeks erupting with embarrassment. "Impossibly gorgeous. Is she an idiot?"</p>
<p>"Grandma, leave her alone," Kate scoffed.</p>
<p>"Are you an idiot?" Grandma Kane continued, unwilling to be pried away by Kate's annoyance.</p>
<p>"I… I try not to be?" Sophie offered, her brow waffling in confusion as she tried gathering her wits.</p>
<p>"Well, as long as you're dating this one," Grandma Kane whispered, nodding toward Kate, "I'll consider the jury still out on that."</p>
<p>"Do I get a hug or not?" Kate asked with a forced scowl.</p>
<p>"Oh, of course, my dear," Grandma Kane sighed, reaching for her granddaughter and wrestling her arms tightly around Kate.</p>
<p><em>I'm sorry</em>, Kate mouthed over her head toward Sophie, sending a giggle from her.</p>
<p>"I heard that!"</p>
<p>"<em>Grandma Kane can be… well, she can be a little much," Kate offered on the train.</em></p>
<p>"<em>Yes, you've mentioned this," Sophie smirked, her fingers idly playing with Kate's.</em></p>
<p>"<em>Yes, but… she isn't like the rest of my family. She's… she's…"</em></p>
<p>"<em>Fun? Smart? Witty? Attractive?"</em></p>
<p>"<em>Why you gotta?" Kate scowled with a smirk.</em></p>
<p>"<em>As long as she doesn't whip out a shotgun when we arrive, I think I can handle a little unknown."</em></p>
<p>"<em>You say that now…"</em></p>
<p>"Now, since you two arrived so late, that means Katherine has weaseled her way out of making the deviled eggs," Grandma Kane explained. Kate's tongue did a bad job of hiding her disgust for the task, and without missing a beat, Grandma Kane's hand came up and swatted at Kate's arm.</p>
<p>"I hope she behaves better around you than she does her poor old grandmother," she scowled as they walked down one of the million halls of the house. <em>Hall</em> was underselling it. So was <em>house</em>. Really it was the grand hall of a mansion that sat on a massive estate that challenged the scale of Arkham Island.</p>
<p>They'd left their bags to be brought up to one of the twenty-one rooms, and that was just in the guest wing. This piece of information sent Sophie's mouth ajar in shock. Now Grandma Kane was guiding them toward… somewhere. Where exactly, Sophie had no clue, but she hoped Kate would be able to navigate their way back if needed.</p>
<p>"So instead, I need you two to go fetch some lemons and limes from the greenhouse," Grandma Kane said, "and make sure you don't accidentally grab the key limes. Those aren't ripe yet. After that Katherine, be a dear and give her a tour of the house. I get so bored of talking about the gold leaf. Make sure to take Sophie by the new Adolf Fényes though. And if you're fast, you can even check out your bedroom before everyone else starts arriving," she said with a wink.</p>
<p>"So how many key limes did you want?" Sophie quipped lightly.</p>
<p>Grandma Kane paused mid step and pivoted to face Sophie, her arms falling to her hips and her gaze peering up at Sophie's. "I like her," Grandma Kane said simply to Kate, her eyes not leaving Sophie's. "She's good for you," she said, turning to continue walking. "But if you bring back key limes you two <em>will</em> be sleeping outside tonight."</p>
<p>
  <strong>xx</strong>
</p>
<p>"I like her," Sophie said, reaching for a lemon. "She's a little spitfire."</p>
<p>"Oh, don't let her hear you say that," Kate said, accepting the lemon into her growing armful.</p>
<p>"What? Spitfire?" Sophie asked, grabbing a basket for Kate to deposit the fruit.</p>
<p>"Little," Kate smirked, dropping the dozen or so citruses into the wooden bin.</p>
<p>"She's pretty progressive. I mean, I can barely imagine my parents' generation being accepting and your grandma is… definitely not subtle."</p>
<p>"That's new. She wasn't always," Kate said, lifting the basket toward the lime trees.</p>
<p>"Really? I'd have never guessed."</p>
<p>"Nope, those are key limes," Kate said, guiding Sophie's hand to the adjacent tree of limes.</p>
<p>"You didn't want to sleep outside under the stars tonight?" Sophie teased. "So what changed?"</p>
<p>"Eh, it's a long, boring story," Kate waved away dismissively. "Maybe another time."</p>
<p>"How many do you have?"</p>
<p>"Four… seven… nine…" Kate rattled off. "Grab three more."</p>
<p>
  <strong>xx</strong>
</p>
<p>"And this is the gold leaf Grandma Kane hates so much," Kate said, gesturing to the sculpture that adorned the entire wall at the end of the second floor's grand hall. It was clad entirely in the soft, antique glow of gold and was impossible to miss. It had been the focal point their entire walk, but standing in front of it now Sophie found it difficult to digest. That everything was shaded in the soft reflective color made it difficult to perceive the depth of the layers of detail. She squinted, realizing it was filled with workers performing various tasks she'd expect to see in the Industrial Revolution. Railroads, massive coal-powered engines, and steel workers sat at the foreground while the background was collaged with a cityscape. Old Model Ts, mid rise buildings, and set an ambiguous era.</p>
<p>"It's Gotham through the ages," Kate said with the interest of a six year old at an art museum. "My great-great grandfather had a bit of an ego."</p>
<p>"It's really… lovely," Sophie said, searching for a word to fit the image. It wasn't that it was ugly; it was certainly well-crafted, but it was also so incredibly over the top that Sophie didn't know how to grade it.</p>
<p>Kate laughed. "Not your best word. Come on, we can check out Fényes."</p>
<p>"Who?"</p>
<p>"Hungarian painter from the early 1900s," Kate explained easily. She glanced back, realizing Sophie wasn't following her. "What?"</p>
<p>"Who are you?" Sophie asked. "First Evan's party, now this."</p>
<p>"Not impressed?"</p>
<p>"Honestly? It's kind of hot, but it's not very you."</p>
<p>"That… is a very back-handed compliment."</p>
<p>"You're hot in other ways," Sophie said, rolling her eyes at the pout on Kate's face.</p>
<p>"Parlor tricks," Kate winked, and Sophie understood. It wasn't that Kate necessarily found all of it interesting - Sophie wouldn't have faulted her if she did, but it was just so atypical to see Kate's attention hone in on art - it was that this was the world she'd been raised in; that she'd been raised for.</p>
<p>"Do you ever get tired of it?"</p>
<p>"Hm?" Kate asked, her attention on orienting herself to the sprawling floor plan.</p>
<p>"The parlor tricks."</p>
<p>Kate shrugged. "You get used to it. It's easier to remember the name of a painting than it is to talk about anything real."</p>
<p>"I guess that makes sense," Sophie pondered, feeling Kate's arm wrap around her shoulder and pull her close.</p>
<p>"Yea, compared to a night with you, elite life is a walk in the park," Kate smirked, landing a quick peck on Sophie's cheek. "Wanna take a small detour before we bore ourselves with more rich people stuff?"</p>
<p>"That depends," Sophie smirked, allowing herself to be led into one of the endless options of rooms. "What's in here?"</p>
<p>"No idea," Kate chuckled, slipping the door shut behind her as Sophie scowled at the room.</p>
<p>"Books?"</p>
<p>"Sure, but that's not really what I'm here for," Kate smirked, stepping behind Sophie and brushing her lips against Sophie's neck.</p>
<p>"Do you think of anything else?" Sophie asked, her breath hitching in surprise.</p>
<p>"Not when you're wearing this dress," Kate said, stepping around to face Sophie.</p>
<p>"You picked it out," Sophie scowled, gladly accepting the feel of Kate's lips against hers.</p>
<p>"Did I?" Kate asked, a smile playing against Sophie's mouth. "I could have sworn-"</p>
<p>"Oh no you don't," Sophie said, pulling away from Kate's hawkish fingers.</p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>"By my tally, you're one ahead," Sophie said defiantly, her eyes suddenly the definition of serious.</p>
<p>"I thought we weren't counting that way anymore," Kate complained.</p>
<p>"We weren't, but then you decided to break it when you counted three for me," Sophie countered. "You don't get to keep changing the rules whenever it suits you."</p>
<p>"Wh- but-"</p>
<p>"Nope."</p>
<p>If there was one thing the last few weeks had taught the happy couple, it was that the only thing better than achieving their own turn of mind-numbing bliss was bringing the other to writhe in wave after wave of tantalizing ecstasy.</p>
<p>"<em>Oh, fu… Soph," Kate moaned as her body jerked and flinched from the flood of pleasure crashing through her.</em></p>
<p>The first time Sophie heard Kate's lips uncontrollably cry out her name a switch flipped in her brain and she understood Kate's arousal for hearing the same. To hear her name moaned in the peak of pleasure was like a drug Sophie couldn't get enough of, and it set off an unlikely addiction. Once the dam was broken Sophie became an unsurprisingly quick learner, and with it came a hunger which could only be described as:</p>
<p>
  <em>"Insatiable."</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"That…" Sophie froze and looked up toward her girlfriend, her eyes bright with hunger and arousal in the darkness. "That is-"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"A good word?"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"A great word," Sophie corrected, before her lips continued their path southward down Kate's stomach.</em>
</p>
<p>It became a surprising source of disagreement for the first two weeks, and, while it usually resulted in their clothes being carelessly stripped and cast around the apartment with both gasping for breath by the end of their impassioned 'argument', it didn't change the fact they were both fighting for the upper hand.</p>
<p>
  <em>"Let's keep score."</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Hm?" Sophie asked, pulled out of her doze by Kate's words. She felt Kate's fingers leisurely run over her shoulder and down her back, and by the familiar patterns she was drawing, Sophie could tell Kate had been thinking about it for a while.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Tonight we both got a point, so next time it's fair game."</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Wait," Sophie said, shaking herself of the lingering grips of sleep. "You're serious about this?"</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Yea."</em></p>
<p>"<em>You actually want to keep score? That's… that's… no."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>"Not like a running tally or anything. I just mean, it'd solve this little problem of ours."</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Rounds or orgasms?" Sophie asked, intrigued by but mostly only lightly entertaining Kate's proposition.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"I was thinking the latter. If you're winning, I get priority-"</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"But if you're winning…"</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>You get priority."</em></p>
<p>"<em>Shouldn't it be the other way around? Like golf."</em></p>
<p>"<em>Eh, I kind of like the idea of losing going into it. The underdog gets the win."</em></p>
<p>"<em>Doesn't this feel a little… calculated? I'm not </em>really<em> interested in negotiating a score in the middle of things."</em></p>
<p>"<em>What if we… I don't know," Kate replied before pausing in another round of thought.</em></p>
<p>"<em>How about this: current loser gets dibs in the moment. After that, it's free for all," Sophie offered.</em></p>
<p>"<em>And we just… add it up afterward to see who's losing going into next time?"</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Sophie paused, giving it genuine thought. "Yea, that works."</em>
</p>
<p>They'd both endlessly taken advantage of this newfound rule. Generally it worked until they got into a spat about outstanding scores:</p>
<p>"<em>No, not fair. You got two points last night," Kate argued.</em></p>
<p>"<em>This is such a ridiculous thing to be arguing about," Sophie complained as they emptied the dishwasher.</em></p>
<p>"<em>So you agree I'm right," Kate said over the clatter of stacking plates.</em></p>
<p>"<em>That is not at all what I said. When we discussed it we decided the current loser got first dibs but anything after that was fair game," Sophie said, gesticulating with two glasses clawed between her fingers.</em></p>
<p>"<em>I want to change the rules," Kate argued stubbornly from her side of the kitchen.</em></p>
<p>"<em>What? No."</em></p>
<p>"<em>Yes: scores need to be offset. I get dibs until we even out."</em></p>
<p>"<em>Meaning what, exactly?" Sophie asked, the half-finished house chore quickly being forgotten.</em></p>
<p>"<em>That I'm losing until I get my two points."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>"You're so competitive."</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"You like it."</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Fine," Sophie said, folding if only to put it to rest.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Really?" Kate grinned in surprise.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Yes, but you aren't allowed to change the rules when this backfires."</em>
</p>
<p>Of course Kate did just that. Sophie obliged the pouts that followed when Kate argued for a return to the first means of counting a week earlier. It changed again mid-week when they decided to reset after a particularly contentious night. After that though, Sophie intended to draw a hard line when it came to the count.</p>
<p>"That's not fair," Kate mumbled grumpily.</p>
<p>"That's not going to work this time, Kate," Sophie said, her face set in a stare of indifference.</p>
<p>"What if we reset this one time."</p>
<p>"Not a chance. I've practically already let you get away with murder."</p>
<p>"Come on, it's a special occasion," Kate pouted, sidling up to Sophie.</p>
<p>"There is one way," Sophie offered in thought. This was met with a look of approval from Kate who eagerly played over the fabric separating her fingers from Sophie.</p>
<p>"And what is that my beautiful, bright, boisterous girlfriend?"</p>
<p>"You had me until 'boisterous'. I don't think it means what you think it means," Sophie smirked.</p>
<p>"What… wait what?"</p>
<p>"It means raucous-"</p>
<p>"Uh-?"</p>
<p>"-rowdy-"</p>
<p>"-well-"</p>
<p>"-loud."</p>
<p>"Oh, loud? I mean you aren't -<em>ooh</em> hey, not fair. You uh, you were saying?"</p>
<p>"We can always even the score," Sophie whispered in Kate's ear, sending a shiver down her spine.</p>
<p>"That… that is one way," Kate stammered, caught off guard by the controlled way Sophie toyed with her. It was a jaw dropping trait Sophie had picked up that aroused Kate to no end. She'd spent months thinking that inexperience would make her shy when it came to sex, but the opposite held true. Instead, Sophie approached it with the same attentive focus she'd applied to everything else in her life. The biggest difference was that, where Sophie was generally timid about her displaying her intelligence level, that rule of thumb did not apply to her growing confidence in the bedroom. Or the living room. Or the kitchen. Or the bathroom. Or the terrace. Or the-</p>
<p>Kate let out a moan of surprise as Sophie pressed her against the bookshelf Kate hadn't bothered to register was behind her. She felt Sophie easily slip a thigh between Kate's legs before pulling her into a rough kiss that caught Kate's bottom lip between her teeth and sent a hunger burning inside Kate. She responded by gripping her partner with the same intensity, granting Sophie's tongue access and savoring the familiar taste of her as she succumbed to the dominating side of her girlfriend. A disorienting minute was spent like this, Sophie's fingers taking a commanding lead as one hand entangled itself into Kate's hair and the other held her firmly against the floor-to-ceiling wall of books. It was only when Sophie felt Kate press herself more fully against Sophie's thigh that she pulled her lips away.</p>
<p>"Should we get back to the tour?" Sophie asked, taking in a winded breath.</p>
<p>"In a minute," Kate choked out, transfixed by the ease with which Sophie could unravel her.</p>
<p>"Just a minute?" Sophie smirked against Kate's lips.</p>
<p>"You're right," Kate muttered before she took a sharp breath as Sophie's hand slipped toward the edge of her jeans. "Let's just cancel it."</p>
<p>"But what about Fényes?" Sophie whispered, her mouth now navigating down Kate's neck as she felt her fingers release the button of Kate's pants.</p>
<p>She felt Kate shake her head in quick response.</p>
<p>"And the tapestries, or the wainscoting," Sophie said, struggling to come up with a list as her hand slipped between the fabric of Kate's jeans and underwear.</p>
<p>"Not worth it," Kate murmured, distracted by the fingers now sliding over the quickly wetting fabric.</p>
<p>"I think I saw some hand carved mahogany bookshelves, too," Sophie continued.</p>
<p>"Soph," Kate said, her own hands struggling to hide her want. She felt herself instinctively grind towards Sophie's fingers, and groaned in frustration as Sophie slipped away from her.</p>
<p>"Patience," Sophie smirked with a devilish grin that only caused Kate to squirm in growing frustration.</p>
<p>"You're only doing this because I'm winning," Kate challenged, hoping to bait Sophie.</p>
<p>It worked. At least, that's what Kate thought. A moment later Sophie's fingers had slipped themselves past the properly wetted fabric that separated her from Kate. A sharp inhale later, confirmed she'd stroked an especially responsive spot before slipping a finger in to fill Kate.</p>
<p>Kate stifled a moan as she felt Sophie slowly and methodically slip it in and out before introducing a second and sending Kate toward a new level of frustration.</p>
<p>"More?" Sophie asked, feeling the desperate way Kate was grinding against her.</p>
<p>She felt Kate nod dumbly against her.</p>
<p>"Can't hear you."</p>
<p>"Yes," Kate croaked, exhaling with satisfaction as Sophie obliged.</p>
<p>"Like this?" Sophie asked, knowing the question was rhetorical but using it to hear the soft moans elicited from Kate's lips as she replied.</p>
<p>"Mmm… yes, Soph," Kate sighed, her hands pulling Sophie to her as she felt the rhythm build her toward release. She could feel herself collapsing into Sophie as her world faded, her focus solely on the fullness Sophie was providing and the edge she was moving toward when-</p>
<p>"Hmm," Sophie hummed with unfamiliar casualness, and Kate felt the pace slow.</p>
<p>"Soph?"</p>
<p>"I don't know," Sophie whispered as Kate grinded against her again in want.</p>
<p>"Wh-what's that," Kate choked out, her thoughts blinded by the feeling of Sophie inside her and the growing frustration of her teasing strokes.</p>
<p>"I kind of like losing," she said, slipping her fingers from Kate.</p>
<p>"<em>What</em>?" Kate choked out, flustered and disoriented by the sudden absence of Sophie.</p>
<p>She watched in stunned silence as Sophie slipped her hand away from Kate.</p>
<p>"I said," Sophie began, raising her forefinger to her mouth and wrapping her lips around it, running the taste of Kate across her tongue. "I kind of like losing," she said, slowly repeating the gesture with her middle finger.</p>
<p>"Wh… you wouldn't," Kate said, stunned, yearning for completion and practically speechless at the sight of Sophie's teasing gesture.</p>
<p>"And rules are rules," Sophie grinned while fighting her own desire to pin Kate back against the shelves.</p>
<p>"Soph… wh… that- that's not fair," Kate whimpered, her eyes wide in growing surprise.</p>
<p>"Besides, we've got a tour to finish," Sophie smirked wider, a mischievous glint sparkling in her eyes.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I actually wrote most of this chapter like, a month ago and forgot about it. Not like 'forgot' forgot about it; I just wasn't sure whether it was good to include right after the last chapter, but since it's been so long since this story got an update and it doesn't <em>really</em> impact the remaining story arc I figured 'why not?' so, here you go! </p>
<p>I'll finish up the party in the next chapter because we need some more Bruce Wayne in this fic.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A quick note about Kate's tattoos that I meant to include when Kate's tattoo was first mentioned last term but forgot: For those who follow the comics, Kate Kane doesn't get her first tattoo until after her time at West Point, but because the premise of this story assumes the CW/Ruby Rose version of Kate Kane, I've given this some leniency and decided that Kate's adoption of them began at an earlier point in her life.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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